WA grain co-op sees returns in rail

摘要

From May 2012, Western Australia's farmer-owned co-operative CBH will enter into a unique and inventive grain logistics partnership designed to reduce freight handling costs for the co-operative's 4800 grower members and assert greater supply chain control and flexibility to increase overall efficiency. The new partnership may also embarrass eastern States farmers, grain handling companies and governments into action. More than a decade of crippling drought has resulted in chronic investment inertiain eastern Australia, reducing the quality and efficiency of the grain transportation systems. But in WA, the grain rail network is steaming ahead, underpinned by a long-term investment strategy from CBH that's due to roll into town early next year. In late 2010, CBH announced it had invested $175 million in rolling stock and US company Watco would replace Australian Railroad Group (ARG) to manage train scheduling, staffing and other grains logistics tasks.