Calgary Alberta - Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) and Americold Realty Trust, Inc. (COLD) today announced a strategic collaboration to co-locate Americold warehouse facilities on the CPKC network.
 
Anchored by rail transportation service, the intent is to build the first facility in Kansas City to bring together cold storage and value added services with expedited intermodal transportation solutions connecting key U.S. Midwest and Mexico markets.
 
"CPKC is pleased to collaborate with Americold to provide innovative solutions for our customers throughout North America with this Kansas City facility, the first of many we intend to build in the years to come. CPKC's new Mexico Midwest Express (MMX) premium intermodal service, combined with one of the largest fleets of refrigerated containers in the industry, and now this collaboration, will further elevate this world class service offering moving a range of food and other products to and from Mexico," said Keith Creel, CPKC President and Chief Executive Officer.
 
"At Americold, we are constantly looking for innovative ways to create value for our large global customers. This partnership with CPKC leverages the strengths of both companies, and enables us to offer solutions together that we would not be able to offer separately. The combination of Americold's vast North American facilities network and world class coldchain operating model with CPKC's new MMX intermodal service and refrigerated assets will produce a new and unique offering to the food supply chain," said George Chappelle, Chief Executive Officer at Americold.
 
CPKC connects North American markets with single-line, expedited intermodal freight transportation and a fleet of TempPro temperature protected intermodal containers for reliable door-to-door transit competitive with over the road trucks.
 
A global leader in temperature controlled logistics, Americold's coldchain ecosystem plays an integral role in the food supply chain connecting production, distribution, and consumption for many of the largest food companies in the world.
 
CPKC and Americold are working collaboratively to streamline border crossing procedures and provide a more seamless experience for shippers.
 
CPKC recently announced the addition of 1,000 new 53 foot refrigerated intermodal containers to its network, more than doubling CPKC's existing fleet, and bringing more shipping options to customers using the expanding Mexico Midwest Express (MMX) premium intermodal service.
 
MMX is North America's first single-line rail service offering for refrigerated shippers from the Midwest to Mexico, a market currently served by trucks.
 
The average intermodal train takes more than 300 trucks off the road with 75 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than trucks.
 
Freight trains are four times more fuel efficient than trucks and can move a ton of freight 500 miles on one gallon of fuel.
 
The MMX temperature controlled service will move fresh and frozen produce, baked goods, candy, and other food products northbound, and beef, chicken, and pork to southern markets.
 
MMX trains now link Chicago, Kansas City, Texas markets, Monterrey, and San Luis Potosi offering third-day service to/from Laredo, fourth-day service to/from Monterrey, and 4.5-day service to/from San Luis Potosi.
 
MMX provides transit time of 98 hours from Chicago to San Luis Potosi, a day faster than the nearest competitor.
 
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