Canadian potash exporter opens rail-car maintenance facility

Potash exporter Canpotex Ltd. last last week announced the launch of operations at its new $60 million rail-car maintenance facility in Saskatchewan, which is served by CN and Canadian Pacific.

Located in the rural municipality of Usborne, the facility will provide all-weather inspection, light repair, automated car wash and wheel maintenance services for the company's fleet of 5,000 rail cars, according to Canpotex, which is owned by Potash Corp., Agrium Inc. and The Mosaic Co.

The facility will help ensure the fleet is efficiently maintained to safely and timely transport potash to export terminals, as well as provide the company greater control over car maintenance, Canpotex officials said in a press release.

The facility is part of a rail-car logistics' strategy Canpotex initiated in 1996, when the company partnered with National Steel Car Ltd. to build a car designed to carry potash. The cars enable Canpotex to transport more potash on longer trains.

"The movement of our potash from Saskatchewan to our export terminals on the West Coast is the life-line of our logistics, and this facility allows Canpotex to remain the world's premier potash exporter," said Canpotex President and Chief Executive Officer Steve Dechka.