MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA — CN plans to launch a new inland terminal in New Richmond, Wisconsin, US on March 1, 2021.

The new multipurpose facility will include an automotive compound for finished vehicles, and an intermodal terminal to serve intermodal shippers and receivers in the metropolitan area of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, US.

“We are proud to open a new store front to serve Minneapolis and Saint Paul to support our customers by offering more capacity and further reach,” said Keith Reardon, senior vice president, consumer product supply chain at CN. “The New Richmond terminal is strategically located at the center of the CN network, allowing direct access to our reliable, three coast rail network for importing vehicles and consumer products from around the globe. Customers now have another direct link to their Midwest markets as well as a new and efficient option for shipping export commodities to global markets.”

The New Richmond terminal will serve a range of import and export industries, including automotive and finished consumer goods, grain, soybean, as well as forest products.

“CN’s development of the New Richmond facility will provide vital access to containers for agricultural exporters to meet customer demand in Europe and Asia,” said Bruce Abbe, strategic adviser for trade and transportation, Specialty Soya & Grains Alliance. “Competitive container shipping is vital for American agriculture to serve the growing global consumer market for high value, specialized grain, soy, and food ingredients. Intermodal rail service also offers the additional environmental and transportation cost reduction benefit of helping reduce long distance highway truck traffic that now is extensively hauling inbound international container freight from Chicago to the Twin Cities. We are hopeful this new facility will further solidify the Twin Cities and western Wisconsin as a major regional transportation logistics hub.”