ST. LOUIS – Anheuser-Busch is partnering with with Union Pacific and Doll Distributing, one of the largest beverage distributors in the Midwest, to transport product from its breweries in Colorado and Missouri to wholesalers across the country. Anheuser-Busch purchased 240 new insulated rail cars to move beverages on UP. The cars are equipped with GPS, temperature monitoring and other technology. The technology on the cars will allow warehouses to track shipments and plan their work accordingly. In addition, Doll Distributing worked with UP to get its track and new facilities up to code. Over 3,500 over-the-road loads will move onto UP’s network.
“Union Pacific is excited to be partnering with Anheuser-Busch to provide an efficient and economical way to transport their products on rail,” said Bess Jones, UP senior manager – marketing and sales.
Along with shipments that will go to Doll Distributing in Iowa, Anheuser-Busch will also increase shipments from breweries in St. Louis and Fort Collins, Colo., to Portland, Ore., and the Twin Cities. Jones estimates this year more than 2,000 carloads will be transported via UP. “This partnership is a great example of how converting over-the-road to rail is a big win for both companies,” Jones says.
In the 1870s, Anheuser-Busch founder Adolphus Busch pioneered the use of refrigerated rail cars to transport the company’s product. This move set Budweiser on a course to becoming one of the first major, national beer brands.
Help me with the numbers, please. 240 new cars for 2000 loads equals 8 loads a year divided by 2 for the empty return of the private cars. 3500 converted truckloads should equal about 700 carloads. No?
The two biggest US-owned breweries (Yuengling and Sam Adams) bring in grain etc by rail but ship the suds by truck.
Tell all those AB distributors not to expect any deliveries in the winter time. Perhaps they should hire Smokey & the Bandit, they might have better luck.
Well with Uncle Pete’s current transit times and late deliveries, they could put Bud on the trains and let it AGE some more!
I can’t believe it This Railroad has embargoes in place and Other Companies are signing Contracts Hope you know what you got yourself into
Several years ago we toured Miller’s flagship brewery in Milwaukee. The tour guide said Miller discontinued shipping product out by rail, only incoming materials.
Just because it didn’t work out with Canadian Pacific and Miller in Milwaukee, why couldn’t it work with Union Pacific and Anheuser-Busch elsewhere?
Hope it never happens, but I can imagine an amusing story coming up concerning a derailment, accompanied by comedic comments by the Newswire crowd.
What goes on here? With all the UP bashing on this site lately, the UP manages to get Two huge industries (Anhauser Busch and Schneider Shipping) to ship their products. While I will never claim to know the railroad business in full, it seems many of our members do or so they claim. Yes UP has its problems (embargos and such) but apparently they must be something right. Maybe some of the “experts” would like to explain all of this to me.
It think the cost savings vs. trucks (and there lack of drivers) and UP having the direct route between Fort Collins and Portland, that persuaded them to signing up with UP.
Prosit!