Koppers signs contracts for rail joints with NS, UP

Koppers Inc. has obtained long-term contracts with Norfolk Southern Railway and Union Pacific Railroad for bonded rail joint assemblies, Koppers announced today.

The contracts will increase Koppers' market share for a critical maintenance-of-way component, company officials said in a press release.

Koppers provides other types of rail joint bar and track component products, as well as treated crossties and other treated wood products and services to NS and UP, Koppers officials said.

The bonded rail joint assemblies are produced at Koppers' plant in Huntington, W. Va.

The contracts will collectively represent more than a 20 percent year-over-year sales increase in Koppers' rail joint business, said Thomas Loadman, Koppers' senior vice president of railroad products and services.

"While our core focus in our railroad business continues to be the production of high quality wooden crossties, we will continue to look for additional ways to build around that strength with other maintenance-of-way products and services," he said.