CSX partners with A&R Logistics on facility near Port of Charleston

CSX has joined with plastics packaging and warehousing leader A&R Logistics to invest in a 615,000-square-foot facility near the Port of Charleston, S.C., that gives plastics producers a new option in their export supply chains.

The new state-of-the-art warehouse, an example of CSX’s commitment to investing in solutions that help customers with full supply chain services, was unveiled Nov. 10 at a ceremony attended by CSX, A&R Logistics, customers and government officials.

The new facility is designed with the needs of high-volume plastics producers in mind. It offers an East Coast alternative with less congestion and better container availability than the commonly used Gulf ports.

“One of the things that I am most proud of is our evolution as a transportation service provider to focusing more intently on developing last-mile solutions for our customers,” CSX Senior Vice President of Sales Arthur Adams told attendees at the ceremony. “This is a manifestation of that, with many more to come.”

The A&R Logistics warehouse has two high-speed packaging lines to efficiently prepare resin pellets for export. The bulk plastic pellets originate from producers in the Texas and Louisiana Gulf regions and are shipped by rail through the New Orleans gateway to the CSX-served warehouse. When they reach the facility, the pellets are unloaded, bagged and loaded directly into export containers. The nearby Port of Charleston is served by all major shipping lines to reach key global markets, and is a fast-growing port with a deep-water draft.

The warehouse was built on a CSX Select Site — a pre-certified property vetted to fast-track development and minimize risk. This partnership embodies CSX’s strategy to offer sustainable, efficient supply chain solutions that help customers grow and reach new markets.

“Rail is crucial to this operation, but CSX has provided so much more than rail. They really helped this vision become a reality,” said A&R Logistics Senior Vice President, Chief Strategy and Legal Officer Alex Buck. “We could not have asked for a better partner than CSX.”