Manufacturing Month Spotlight: The Union Tank Car Company Repair Shop
12 Oct 2021
News
Union Tank Car Company (UTLX) — a Marmon/Berkshire Hathaway Company — has been part of the Evanston community for more than 35 years. The Evanston facility in Union Center Business Park repairs tank and freight cars with industry-leading repair times.
As a company, UTLX has a rich history in the tank car industry with this year marking the 130th anniversary of their incorporation in 1891. In addition to their robust repair network, their company specializes in tank car leasing and manufacturing services.
“Here at the Union Tank Car Company repair shop in Evanston, we perform full-service repairs to tank and freight railcars,” said Riggen Moon, UTLX Plant Manager. “Our cars can arrive from across North America, but the majority come from the Western and Midwest regions of the U.S.”
“At our shop, we offer a wide range of repair services to provide a fully certified railcar back to our customers in 30 days or less. Our customers rely on us to ensure their tank cars are safe to travel to their destinations, in accordance with requirements from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the Association of American Railroads (AAR) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).”
Mr. Moon drew a comparison between tank car repair and the automobile business. “Your car needs regular checkups and attention, such as when your tires need to be replaced or your oil is low. Sometimes you need to have part of your car repaired, such as a cracked windshield or chipped paint. There are also specific regulations that cars must meet in order to be safe for the road. Similarly, railcars require regular maintenance, occasional repairs, and need to follow industry regulations.”
The UTLX repair shop plays a vital role in keeping manufacturing and logistics rolling in Evanston and the nation. “Our team provides high-quality repair and maintenance services in a timely manner for our customers’ tank car fleets, which carry the commodities that the U.S. economy depends on,” said Mr. Moon. “The commodities that are transported in our tank cars are essential to the production of many everyday products, including pharmaceuticals, building materials, agricultural products, cleaning products, textiles, paints and inks, electronics, auto parts, and so much more.”
UTLX focuses on training and workforce development. In Evanston, they employ approximately 100 people, and plan to hire more employees in the coming years.
“Training and development are extremely important to UTLX,” said Mr. Moon. “We offer in-house training and certification to meet AAR and UTLX requirements. We have a specialized team that focuses on the training and development of new hires as well as experienced employees. We strive to have our employees certified within three months of employment, and we maximize their skills on the shop floor through experience, whether that be welding, valve rebuilding, or painting.”
“We value practicing safety, pursuing excellence, taking pride in workmanship, owning your responsibilities, and earning trust through your words and actions,” said Mr. Moon. “Together, we work as a team to create a shop environment that reflects these values.”
UTLX is always looking for new team members to join their Evanston repair shop! Check their website for the most current job openings: https://www.utlx.com/employment-at-utlx/.
“The next time you see a freshly painted tank car rolling down the railroad, know that a lot of hard work and dedication goes into keeping it safely moving, and think of us at UTLX Evanston!” said Mr. Moon.
Manufacturing by the Numbers in Wyoming
The services provided by the UTLX repair shop are vital, in part, because of manufacturing’s importance in Evanston and throughout Wyoming. Manufactured goods need to be transported. In 2019, total output from manufacturing was $2.18 billion, according to the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). In addition, there were an average of 10,000 manufacturing employees in Wyoming in 2020, with an average annual compensation of $75,323.36 in 2019.
Uinta County has the Assets for Manufacturing
Evanston and Uinta County offer several advantages to national and global manufacturing companies. Among them are assets such as raw materials, strong transportation lines, a beneficial tax structure with no corporate income tax, and an eager and skilled workforce. Shovel-ready sites are available for development including in the Union Center Business Park.
Contact Evanston Economic Development to see why we are the ideal location on the Wasatch Front for your manufacturing expansion or relocation. Explore our target industries which include aerospace parts manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, downstream chemical products manufacturing, mining machinery, oil and gas manufacturing, firearms and ammunition manufacturing, and wind turbine manufacturing.
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