Calgary logistics park gets rolling this summer

CALGARY: CN says construction of its new Calgary Logistics Park, an investment of approximately C$200 million, will start this summer with target completion by the end of 2012.

“CN is eager to break ground for the new logistics park, which will provide seamless transportation solutions to rail customers moving products and commodities into and out of Calgary, one of the fastest growing cities in North America and a key logistics hub for consumer and industrial goods markets in southern Alberta,” said Claude Mongeau, CN’s president and CEO.

CN said the 680-acre park in Conrich, Alberta, located in Rocky View County northeast of Calgary, will feature:

• A state-of-the-art intermodal terminal for containerized goods moving between rail and truck, with room for on-site DCs;
• More than two million sqft of warehousing capacity, including a multi-commodity rail-to-truck transload and warehouse facility, and
• Dimensional shipment and heavy container handling capacity.

CN also plans to have an automotive compound for regional vehicle distribution ready during 2013, and to add a liquid and dry-bulk transload and distribution facility to the logistics park at a later date. The company also expects to wrap up construction of the park by the end of 2012, when it will transfer intermodal activities and Calgary personnel to the new facility. Operations will start in early 2013.

The new facility, with ready access to Stoney Trail and other roadways including the Trans Canada Highway, is on Twp Road 250/McKnight Boulevard, 10 kilometres from Calgary International Airport.

“The Calgary Logistics Park is part of CN’s plan to build similar multi-modal facilities across our network at key distribution nodes to handle a variety of goods and commodities,” said Mongeau. “Our goal is to reduce logistics costs for our customers through highly efficient materials handling, transportation and distribution processes. With this approach, CN can help its customers grow, enhance the economic development of the communities we serve, and position the railway CN for greater traffic growth.”