The largest supplier of prestressed concrete ties to North America’s freight and transit railroads, has entered into a long-term supply agreement with All Aboard Florida and Florida East Coast Railway (FECR), prompting construction of a facility in Ft. Pierce, Fla., with production slated to begin in early 2016.
The newest plant under Denver-based Rocla Concrete Tie Inc. will supply ties to FECR, All Aboard Florida—a passenger rail project connecting Miami to Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Orlando—as well as other transit agencies and railroads throughout the Southeast. It is sited along the existing FECR mainline in Fort Pierce, midway between the major urban hubs of Orlando and Miami, and a strategic tie production and dispatching point for all of the Sunshine State’s growing rail operations.
“Rocla is excited to be part of this unique partnership between FECR and All Aboard Florida,” says Rocla Vice President of Business Development Brett Urquhart. “The immediate need for concrete ties by the All Aboard Florida passenger rail project helped justify this investment, which will allow us to be an ongoing supplier to any other capital projects of All Aboard Florida and FECR, as well as use the FECR network to reach other customers in the future.
“Building a new plant in Fort Pierce not only allows us to bring better value products to our key customers, but it will bring 42 full-time, well-paying jobs as well as tax revenue to the city.”
“Producing concrete crossties in Florida is nothing new for FECR,” adds FECR Senior Vice Engineering, Mechanical and Purchasing Fran Chinnici. “This new plant and our continued relationship with Rocla provides us with a very high quality product and restores the level of productivity and cost effectiveness we have been missing for several years.”