April 7, 2010

3 Min Read
Union Pacific Railroad Announces 14th Annual Pinnacle Award Winners for Chemical Transportation Safety

Union Pacific Railroad has announced its 14th annual Pinnacle Award recipients for chemical transportation safety. The award annually recognizes companies that have implemented successful prevention and corrective plans and have achieved a rate of zero non-accident releases (NARs) for shipments of regulated hazardous materials.

"This is Union Pacific’s opportunity to acknowledge and thank our customers for their continuing efforts to eliminate chemical releases from rail cars," said Diane Duren, vice president and general manager - chemicals. "Rail is the safest way to haul the chemicals that Americans use every day, whether it is chlorine for drinking water or fertilizer for our farms that help feed the world.

“We work closely with our customers to help prevent a release during transit of chemical shipments and jointly demonstrate a commitment to the safe transportation of hazardous materials."

The award program, which began in 1996, is open to all of Union Pacific chemical and petrochemical customers. Criteria include safe loading techniques, securement of shipments, and zero non-accident releases.

Non-accident releases of hazardous material on Union Pacific's network have declined approximately 15 percent since 2002 due in part to increased inspections by the railroad's hazardous material safety field personnel and the Pinnacle Award criteria.

Railroads annually transport more than 1.5 million carloads of hazardous cargo. Rail is the safest way to move this material. In fact, 2009 was the safest year in freight railroad history according to preliminary data from the Federal Railroad Administration.

Union Pacific's rail network enables it to serve the large chemical complexes along the Gulf Coast. Roughly two-thirds of the company's chemical business originates, terminates or travels through this area. Union Pacific's chemical franchise also accesses chemical producers in the Rocky Mountains and on the West Coast.

The 59 Pinnacle Award recipients for 2010 (based on 2009 shipments) are:

Air Products & Chemicals Inc.
Afton Chemical Corp.
AkzoNobel Chemicals Inc.
Arizona Chemical Company LLC
Arkalon Ethanol LLC
ASHTA Chemicals Inc.
CALAMCO
Celanese Corp.
CF Industries Inc.
Chevron Oronite Co.
Devon Energy Corp.
Eastman Chemical Co.
El Dorado Chemical Co.
Equa-Chlor
ERCO Worldwide USA
General Chemical Corp.
Georgia Gulf Chemicals & Vinyls LLC
Georgia-Pacific Chemicals LLC
Hawkeye Renewables
ICL Performance Products
Innophos Inc.
International Commodities Export Corp.
Kemira Water Solution
Koch Nitrogen Co. LLC
Koch Sulfur Products Co. LLC
LCI Ltd.
Lincolnway Energy
Marathon
Marsulex
Mexichem Flúor S.A. de C.V.
Methanex Methanol Co.
NA Industries Inc.
NorFalco
Nova Chemicals
Orica USA
OXEA Corp.
PCS Sales (USA) Inc.
Pioneer Oil LLC
POET Biorefining - Ashton
POET Biorefining - Emmetsburg
POET Biorefining - Glenville
POET Biorefining - Hudson
POET Biorefining - Jewell
POET Biorefining - Lake Crystal
PPG Industries Inc.
Sasol North America Inc.
Shintech Louisiana LLC
SI Group
Solvay Chemicals Inc.
Taminco
Teck Metals Ltd
Tessenderlo Kerley Inc.
Thatcher Company
U S Magnesium LLC
Univar USA
US Ecology Inc.
Valero Marketing and Supply Co.
Western Refining
Williams NGL Marketing

Union Pacific Corp. owns one of America's leading transportation companies. Its principal operating company, Union Pacific Railroad, links 23 states in the western two-thirds of the country. Union Pacific serves many of the fastest-growing U.S. population centers and provides Americans with a fuel-efficient, environmentally friendly and safe mode of freight transportation. Union Pacific's diversified business mix includes agricultural products, automotive, chemicals, energy, industrial products and intermodal. The railroad emphasizes excellent customer service and offers competitive routes from all major West Coast and Gulf Coast ports to eastern gateways. Union Pacific connects with Canada's rail systems and is the only railroad serving all six major gateways to Mexico. For more information, visit www.up.com.

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