Railcar manufacturer Trinity Industries buys rail 3PL RSI Logistics

Railcar products and service provider Trinity Industries Inc. has spent $70 million to acquire RSI Logistics Inc., a Michigan-based company offering rail logistics and fleet management services, bulk terminals, and bulk intermodal.

According to RSI, the combined firms will offer stronger solutions for shippers by merging RSI’s rail technology, logistics services, and bulk terminal network with Trinity’s railcar manufacturing and leasing, technology, and maintenance service.

RSI calls itself a software, transloading, and third party logistics (3PL) service company with over 25 locations across more than 15 states and some 100 employees. The firm operates facilities including dozens of truck-to-rail transload terminals; four warehouses in New York, Kentucky, and South Carolina; a marine terminal at Georgetown, South Carolina; and a half dozen lumber reload terminals.

In comparison, Dallas-based Trinity is a much larger company, with more than 6,000 employees and 2022 revenues of $2.0 billion. The company received orders for 3,015 railcars and delivered 4,400 railcars in the fourth quarter of 2022 alone, and plans to deliver 40,000 to 45,000 railcars throughout 2023.

“We are excited about the acquisition of RSI Logistics. It is another step as we seek to expand our service offerings with complementary solutions that make rail a more compelling mode of transportation,” Jean Savage, Trinity’s President and CEO, said in a release. “Specifically, RSI expands the breadth and quality of Trinity’s platform, adding logistics services, terminal operations, and intermodal transportation. Also, coupling RSI’s expertise and reputation with the transformational technology of Trinsight will deliver a unique tool to rail shippers to gain more control of their supply chains.”