OmniTRAX, West Plains LLC and Port of Brownsville collaborate to revamp grain silo

Written by Kyra Senese, Managing Editor
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OmniTRAX

OmniTRAX, Inc. and the Port of Brownsville have teamed up to facilitate the lease of a large grain-handling facility to West Plains LLC at the port.  

 

 

The grain elevator has a 3,000,000-bushel capacity and is located near the GEOTRAC Industrial Hub being developed by OmniTRAX. 

“The reactivation of the grain elevator by West Plains is another great example of bringing a commercial operator into the port to build out a vibrant opportunity for the region. We see many more of these public-private partnerships coming in the future helping the GEOTRAC Industrial Hub reach its potential as a world-class business site,” said Kevin Shuba, CEO of OmniTRAX.

Upgrades to the previously inactive facility by West Plains began in the spring with the first train scheduled to arrive in the first quarter of 2017 on the OmniTRAX-operated Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railway, LLC via Union Pacific.

Representatives say this will enable the first grain delivery to the Port in five years. The operation will handle commodities such as corn, wheat, sorghum (milo), animal feed, DDGS and cotton.

“This is a great opportunity for West Plains to access the fertile markets of Latin America as well as servicing other locations around the world. The process was made very easy for us by the professionals at OmniTRAX and the Port of Brownsville, who provided the expertise needed to make every milestone on our project roadmap,” said Mike Rowan, President of West Plains Grain.

The industrial hub is the result of the strategic relationship between OmniTRAX and the Port of Brownsville, which is developing thousands of acres to grow a world-class industrial hub.

The land is well-suited for both light and heavy manufacturing, logistics, energy services and export and import warehousing, officials say.

“We are pleased the grain elevator is up and running again. It’s proof that the Port of Brownsville and OmniTRAX are moving in the right direction to develop the area into an industrial complex that supports a broad variety of businesses,” said Eduardo A. Campirano, port director and CEO, Port of Brownsville.

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