Greenbrier To Expand Arkansas Tank Car Facility

Railcar manufacturer and supplier Greenbrier GBX plans to invest $16 million to expand a manufacturing facility in Marmaduke, Arkansas.

The expansion will add 35 new jobs to the plant's roster of 850 employees, the Arkansas Economic Development Commission said on August 7.

The facility in Marmaduke was one of the assets operated by American Railcar Industries (ARI), which GBX acquired earlier this year as part of wider efforts to grow its railcar manufacturing and production business. GBX also is a supplier of marine barges.

The Marmaduke facility produces tank cars and other railcars. Other ARI facilities in Arkansas include a hopper railcar assembly factory, a joint venture axle and manufacturing facility that started as a joint venture with Axis LLC, and a railcar component plant operated by ARI subsidiary Corbitt Manufacturing. These three facilities are located in Paragould, Arkansas.

 "We knew the Marmaduke operations would help us deliver on three key parts of our strategic plan," said William A. Furman, chairman and CEO. "First, strengthening our core North American engineering and manufacturing business. Next, growing our operations at scale in new and existing markets; and lastly, extending our talent base. The expansion of our facility in Marmaduke will further position Greenbrier for continued growth for many years to come."

The $16 million expansion to the Marmaduke facility will add to a $10.5 million expansion that ARI completed in 2015. That expansion was to improve the facility and acquire new equipment.

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