Canada's largest railway company Canadian National Railway Co. (CN) has announced that it has developed new supply chain efficiencies to help it better meet short-term car order requirements of major steel producers in Canada and help them to compete more effectively in their markets.
According to a company statement, as part of this initiative, CN has established strategic car staging locations near producer facilities, allowing it to respond quickly to producers' spot sales requirements. One location is at Sorel-Tracy, northeast of Montreal, Quebec, the other at Paris, Ontario, west of Hamilton, Ontario.
CN is also acquiring 200 standard gondolas and 200 open coil gondolas to expand and improve the quality of its freight car fleet serving the North American steel industry. The new gondolas and coil cars follow CN's acquisition of almost 700 new iron ore cars this year and last year for hauling pelletized iron ore in the Upper Midwest.
Jean-Jacques Ruest, CN executive vice-president and chief marketing officer, said, "CN is working closely with its steel customers to develop innovative transportation solutions that make the entire supply chain more efficient."