Tiger Cool Express Plans Tri-Cities Intermodal Development

Tiger Cool Express has signed a lease-purchase agreement with Union Pacific Railroad to acquire the former Cold Connect property in Wallula, WA. The intermodal services company plans to develop the property as an intermodal ramp, saying the region has land, labor, water and electricity that could make it a global logistics hub.

The envisioned Tri-Cities Logistics Center will benefit the agricultural and manufacturing community in the Tri-State region, by providing cost-effective and sustainable transportation capacity. Initially, service is intended between Wallula and the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma, as well as Chicago and beyond.

“Despite our continued growth and fleet expansion, we realize the Pacific Northwest offers transformational potential for our company,” said Tiger Cool Express CEO Steve Van Kirk. “With a private intermodal ramp, we can build our own domestic customer base with their ISO shipping requirements at the same time we expand services to an entirely new community of stakeholders.”

“We are enthusiastic about advancing an initiative that will remove thousands of trucks and millions of truck miles from the highway,” added company VP Kari Kirchhoefer.