Winnipeg’s Amsted Rail secures CN Rail deal
December 11, 2015
By Manufacturing AUTOMATION
Dec. 11, 2015 – Winnipeg’s Amsted Rail and Canadian National Railway have signed a 10-year, $500-million deal to manufacture train wheels in the city. The deal is an extension on previous contracts between the companies and will see the making of one million wheels until 2026.
The wheels will be manufactured at the Griffin Wheel Co. on Day Street, and trucked over to the CN Transcona Shop just a few blocks away. There, the wheels will be mounted into sets before being shipped out and put on rail cars.
The deal secures 85 jobs at the CN Rail shop and about 250 at Griffin. Manitoba economy minister Kevin Chief said the move will help keep more young workers in the province.
“This here really solidifies the future,” said Brent Sharron, Local 144 Unifor president.
Griffin Wheel Co. has been in operation in Winnipeg for 56 years, and has partnered with CN Rail nearly all that time.
— With files from The Canadian Press
