CPKC and Americold expand temperature-controlled logistics collaboration to Mexico

Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) and Americold Realty Trust, Inc. announced plans to explore co-development opportunities in Mexico, building on their strategic partnership to optimize temperature-sensitive commodity flows across North America.

The collaboration, which began in June 2023, combines CPKC’s single-line intermodal freight network and TempPro temperature-controlled containers with Americold’s global cold chain logistics expertise. The partnership aims to enhance supply chain efficiency between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.

“Our strategic partnership with CPKC creates a platform that will deliver significant and sustainable supply chain value for existing and new customers in North America,” said George Chappelle, Americold’s CEO. “Exploring opportunities in Mexico is a natural continuation of this collaboration as we look at ways we can attack inefficiencies in the current cold chain.”

The companies broke ground in June on a $127-million, 335,000-square-foot import-export hub at CPKC’s Intermodal Facility in Kansas City, Mo. Set to open in mid-2025, the hub will support temperature-sensitive food shipments between Mexico and the U.S.

“We are excited to build on our successful strategic collaboration with Americold with new facilities in Mexico,” said Keith Creel, CPKC president and CEO. “That network, combined with our premium intermodal services moving one of the largest fleets of refrigerated containers in the industry, and this growing collaboration with Americold, continues to create new transportation options for our customers.”

CPKC’s recent addition of 1,000 refrigerated intermodal containers has doubled its fleet capacity, offering enhanced service through the Mexico Midwest Express (MMX) line, North America’s first single-line rail service for refrigerated shippers from the Midwest to Mexico.

Americold plans to invest $500 million to $1 billion over the next decade in projects with CPKC and other partners like DP World.