American Railcar Industries Expands Its Marmaduke Tank Railcar Manufacturing Facility

by Michael Wilkey ([email protected]) 237 views 

A manufacturer of hopper and tank railcars announced Wednesday a plan to hire 75 people in a $10.5 million expansion at its location in Greene County, state and company officials said.

American Railcar Industries provided further details regarding its project to enhance its tank railcar manufacturing facility in Marmaduke.

The company manufactures and sells railcars, custom designed railcar parts, and other industrial products. ARI and its subsidiaries also lease railcars manufactured by the company to certain markets.

In addition, ARI provides railcar repair services through its various repair facilities, including mini-shops and mobile units, offering a range of services from full to light repair.

The expansion will allow ARI to retrofit tank railcars to meet stricter safety standards imposed by the final regulations related to tank railcars in flammable service released by the United States and Canada earlier this year, officials said.

“Our strong team of employees at our Marmaduke facility, as well as all of our facilities, continue to support the success of our business,” said CEO Jeff Hollister. “The capital invested in our Marmaduke facility will serve to further diversify our business to meet current and anticipated demand for retrofits, tank certifications and railcar maintenance, while also providing additional flexibility for our new tank railcar production.”

“ARI has a long, successful history in Northeast Arkansas,” Gov. Asa Hutchinson said. “The company is making another significant investment that will bring competitive manufacturing jobs for the local workforce. Many Arkansas families will experience a better quality of life due to ARI’s decision to expand this facility.”

In addition to its presence in Marmaduke, ARI opened a hopper railcar assembly factory in Paragould, Arkansas in 1995, the first major railcar assembly plant in their manufacturing network. The Marmaduke facility opened in 1999.

“ARI has been and continues to be a tremendous asset to Marmaduke,” said Marmaduke Mayor Steve Dixon. “This investment shows continued confidence in our community and we as the leaders here, appreciate that vote of approval. We look forward to the continued growth of ARI in northeast Arkansas.”