(BRK.A), (BRK.B)
Berkshire Hathaway’s wholly-owned tank car manufacturer UTLX is opening a new facility in Marion, Ohio, and will be adding 200 new employees over the next three years. The expansion will double the number of employees it has in Marion.
The move comes as new federal safety standards have created unprecedented demand for new and retrofitted tank cars.
Retrofitting the Existing Fleet
Under the Enhanced Standards for New and Existing Tank Cars for use in an HHFT— Existing tank cars must be retrofitted in accordance with the DOT-prescribed retrofit design or performance standard for use in an HHFT.
An HHFT is defined as a train carrying 20 or more tank carloads of flammable liquids (including crude oil and ethanol).
The need for replacement and retrofitted tank cars impacts shippers that ship by rail, including shippers of LPG, oil producers and refiners, and ethanol producers that own their own tank cars or lease them from leasing companies, and Berkshire’s BNSF Railway’s own fleet of tank cars.
Retrofitting existing tank cars is an important bridge to safer shipping of flammable liquids, as the current backlog of new tank car orders sits at a record 52,000 units.
The new facility is be able to rewrap 60 tank cars a week when it reaches full capacity.
A Bundle of Tax Credits and Grants
The Ohio Tax Credit Authority granted a 55-percent, 5-year tax credit to UTLX for the creation of $8,272,000 in new annual payroll, provided that the company maintains operations at the facility for 11 years.
The company will also receive a $75,000 grant from the Ohio Rail Development Commission to cover the cost of on-site rail improvements.
Greg Cieslak, president of UTLX, noted, “We have a quick need to expand into a second facility due to the industry’s changing landscape, and found the Columbus Region to be a strategic location to grow. The area offers access to the right workforce and real estate to fit our needs, and the Midwest location and rail infrastructure are convenient to our customers.”
Higher Paying Job Opportunities
The new employees will earn between $15 to $21 per hour plus benefits. The jobs include welders and fabricators, tank car repairers, rail car switchmen, material handlers, and general labor and helpers with general welding knowledge.
UTLX is looking to the Tri-Rivers Career Center’s workforce development program to provide training for the new employees.
© 2015 David Mazor
Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.