Agrium first to sign up for new railcar service

Calgary-Agrium Inc. has become the first company to sign up for a railcar fleet maintenance and management service provided by GE Equipment Services, a Chicago-based unit of the General Electric Company. GE Equipment Services leases approximately 170,000 railcars, including grain and coal hoppers, tank cars, boxcars, plastics and other specialty hoppers, and intermodal flat cars. Additionally, the company leases 150,000 intermodal trailers, containers, and chassis to shippers and railroads. Agrium is reportedly placing 100 fertilizer hopper cars in the Maintenance MAX?äó service program, which draws on GE’s extensive data and experience in fleet maintenance to help extend maintenance intervals, keep cars on track, and reduce overall maintenance costs. According to GE, the Maintenance MAX program uses the company’s historical data and analyzes key components of customer railcars to help identify cost trends of the fleet. “Agrium, like so many other shippers in the rail industry, wants a firm handle on upkeep costs within their railcar fleet,” said Ted Torbeck, president and CEO of GE Equipment Services, Rail Services. “We are pleased Agrium has turned to us for a maintenance management solution that will allow them to get the most out of their railcar fleet.”