FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF customers made more than $4.1 billion in investments in 2023, the railroad reports, with BNSF projects from these and other rail-served customers supporting creation of more than 4,200 jobs. The figures are the largest the railroad’s customers and local economic development organizations have made in new or expanded facilities in five years.
“We take pride in collaborating with our customers to create customizable rail development solutions that meet their unique needs and enhance and improve their supply chains,” Chris Danos, assistant vice president, economic development, said in a press release. “BNSF can also help create sustainable solutions while streamlining logistics costs.”
As examples of these investments, BNSF highlighted projects involving Cenovus Energy and Green Bison Soy Processing.
Cenovus acquired a refinery in Superior, Wis., on Jan. 1, 2021, and reopened it in 2023 after rebuilding, a project that involved more than 2,200 contractors plus Cenovus staff. The rebuilt facility produces and ships asphalt, vacuum gas oil, light cycle oil, and LPG products. It employs approximately 350 people, has an annual payroll of more than $29.9 million in annual payroll, pays more than $2.2 million in property taxes, and generates $48 million in annual spending with cntractors and vendors to support operations.
ADM and Marathon Petroleum Corp. opened Green Bison, a soybean processing plant in Spiritwood, N.D., with an investment of approximately $350 million to address increased demand for renewable diesel fuel. It will produce approximately 600 million pounds of refined soybean oil annually, enough for about 75 million gallons of renewable disel. The facility features more than 22,000 feet of new track and can ship 14,000 carloads of outbound soy meal and vegetable oil annually. It created 75 new jobs.
