Rail is not what it used to be, and that’s a good thing. More and more companies are incorporating rail into their supply chains because of marked improvements in both service and infrastructure. This has led to an increase of rail shipments at our Rocky Mount transload facility, and we’re happy to oblige.
Why Rail for Supply Chain Logistics?
Rail fell out of favor years ago because (among other reasons) it was slow, required multiple contracts, had a deteriorating infrastructure, and gave poor visibility to your product while in transit. Well, rail is still slower than over-the-road transportation, and it may always be. But, if you don’t mind a little extra transit time, you can save a lot of money and reduce your carbon footprint considerably. After all, one rail car can handle a load equivalent to three or four over-the-road trailers. As for the contract, infrastructure, and visibility gripes, those are largely a thing of the past due to enhancements made by the rail and logistics industries, as well as government agencies.
Why North Carolina for Rail?
We typically see a seasonal uptick in rail shipments in the spring, especially within the building/construction industry. But we are now seeing more sustained embrace of rail year-round. This likely has to do with the improvements discussed above, as well as excitement regarding eastern NC logistics infrastructure enhancements, including the new $272 million CSX intermodal hub in Rocky Mount.
Why Kanban for North Carolina Logistics?
Kanban’s Rocky Mount transload facility provides an ideal mid-Atlantic location to transload your container or rail freight onto trailers for final delivery. Why? Here are a few highlights:
- 175,000 sq. ft. facility with four rail doors for direct loading and unloading
- One of the only North Carolina transload operations east of Raleigh
- Incoming and outgoing rail services
- Minutes from I-95, making every major market in the east reachable within 1 day
- Custom forklifts to unload rail cars 24/7
- Temperature-controlled space available
- Kanban’s rail spur and custom crossovers allow loads from rail cars to go directly into the building
- Adjacent transload yard where center-beam rail cars can be unloaded
- Foreign trade zone (FTZ)
Now is a great time to reconsider rail as part of your supply chain – especially in eastern North Carolina. And, when you do, know that our Rocky Mount transload operation can handle anything and everything you can give it.
