Darigold opens major dairy facility at BNSF Certified Site in Pasco, Washington
Building distribution capacity quickly and efficiently can be challenging for a growing business.
With BNSF’s innovative and nimble rail infrastructure solutions, businesses are saving time and money, while minimizing up-front risk and administrative burden. BNSF handles all the time-consuming certification and regulation issues, including infrastructure evaluation, environmental and geotechnical standards, utility connection, zoning issues, permit tracking, community support, rail accessibility and site availability.
One of BNSF’s most desirable business-expansion solutions is the shovel-ready Certified Site, and a successful example is the 150-acre Reimann Industrial Center in Pasco, Washington. Serving as a robust economic development engine for Franklin County and the Pacific Northwest, Reinmann Center is one of BNSF’s 36 Certified Sites located in key distribution hubs across the U.S. and Canada.
BNSF has eliminated the administrative hassle and red tape associated with the initial phases of site scouting, logistics and planning. This means businesses can save six to nine months of construction time to significantly accelerate operating capacity, speed to market and supply chain efficiency from day one.
The appeal of this unique rail-adjacent logistics solution is what attracted Seattle-based Darigold, the marketing and processing arm of the Northwest Dairy Association. Partnering with BNSF’s Certified Site program, Darigold recently opened its state-of-the-art facility at Reinmann Center with logistics front and center, leveraging easy access to power, water and rail.
“It has been a big positive for Darigold to partner with BNSF throughout both the construction and now operation of our new facility in Pasco,” said Sam Naffziger, Senior Manager, Transportation Optimization at Darigold. “The Certified Site solution provided a strong foundation for the project, and BNSF’s support has been instrumental in ensuring a smooth and efficient startup. We truly value the partnership and the benefits it continues to provide.”
The new plant will process up to eight million pounds of milk per day from more than 100 regional farms, producing butter and powdered milk products for customers across the U.S. and in some 30 countries worldwide. Located within the multimodal Port of Pasco, the Reimann Industrial Center also helps accelerate delivery timelines, while simultaneously reducing emissions, including road miles.
With a more than $1 billion investment in Washington’s dairy sector, the high-performance facility is expected to employ 200 people directly and support up to 1,000 jobs in total through construction, transportation, warehousing and farm workers.
The Certified Sites program is a key component of BNSF’s larger vision to develop strategically positioned business parks and/or rail-served sites along its national network to address increasing demand for customized logistics sites that are available for immediate development.
“At BNSF, we’re committed to creating customized solutions that drive customer success in bold, innovative ways,” said BNSF Group Vice President, Industrial Products and Economic Development Katie Hower. “Certified Sites are part of our evolving portfolio of customized logistics solutions that get our customers from point A to point B faster, easier and cheaper, leading to a more efficient supply chain and boundless economic development opportunity.”
Other customized distribution solutions include Certified Sites that are configured with Premier Transload operators, such as Tiger Transfer’s Upton Logistics Center in Upton, Wyoming or Jaguar Transport, which operates short lines and interchange hubs across the Southwest and Central Plains.
Regardless of the specific need, choosing a BNSF Certified Site means a business can move quickly, confidently, and cost-effectively toward opening day. For a shipper, this translates into faster revenue generation and long-term competitive advantage.
