QSL will be using a Combilift straddle carrier at its new facilities.
SOREL, QC – QSL will build three new warehouses in 2019 and launch a pilot project with advanced new equipment newly imported from Combilift in Ireland. The projects, to be located in the Sorel-Tracy area, will see $15 million in investments.
The Sorel-Tracy terminal is a multimodal hub for QSL clients with its strategic proximity to markets and connections to rail and Highway 30. The new investment also responds to growing demand in steel, oversize cargo shipment, and agricultural products.
“Innovation is a group effort,” said QSL president and CEO Robert Bellisle.
“We’re proud of what our seasoned operators, optimization teams, and engineers have accomplished in these projects. Their dedication to going that extra mile and the trust of our customers are the keys that allow us to continually improve operations and maintain the record of excellence we’ve had for more than 40 years.”
QSL will give top preference to local businesses for the construction of its multi-product and fertilizer warehouses. QSL already employs more than 100 people in the area and trans-ships 425,000 tonnes locally each year. In the last five years, QSL has injected over $33 million into the local economy in the form of wages and purchasing.
Two new pieces of equipment from Combilift will be making their Quebec stevedoring début as well; the straddle carrier and sidelift will handle oversized loads, maximize warehouse space, and speed trans-shipments. In the long haul, they’ll not only improve energy efficiency and make the workplace safer, but also boost productivity and reduce truck wait times.
Optimizing those operations will enhance efficiency throughout the supply chain and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by over 230 metric tons per year during the pilot project.
QSL is headquartered in Quebec City and employs over 1,300. It operates more than 30 maritime terminals all along the St. Lawrence–Great Lakes corridor.
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