Katoen Natie (KTN), a global logistics and distribution company, today voiced strong support for the proposed merger between Union Pacific Railroad and Norfolk Southern Corporation, hailing it as a historic step forward for the nation’s supply chain. The merger would create America’s first coast-to-coast railroad, seamlessly connecting over 50,000 miles of track across 43 states and linking approximately 100 ports.

Katoen Natie, which operates major petrochemical logistics hubs along the U.S. Gulf Coast and a large logistics hub in Norfolk (Virginia) emphasized the merger’s benefits for Gulf Coast industries. Union Pacific’s Gulf Coast franchise is a vital artery for the region’s plastics and chemicals producers, moving commodities like polyethylene resins from Texas and Louisiana to global markets. By combining Union Pacific’s extensive Gulf network with Norfolk Southern’s reach in the Eastern U.S., the unified railroad will streamline east–west shipments and eliminate interchange handoffs. This promises faster transit times, greater capacity, and improved reliability for KTN’s customers shipping out of Gulf Coast facilities.

The company also highlighted its long partnership with Union Pacific in the Gulf Coast petrochemical corridor. In recent years, KTN and Union Pacific launched innovative solutions like the “Dallas-to-Dock” program to expedite resin exports – moving plastic pellets from the Gulf Coast plants by rail to Dallas for packaging, then on to West Coast ports. This kind of collaboration underscores the importance of Union Pacific’s Gulf Coast network to KTN’s operations and customers, a strength that will be further enhanced by the merger’s expanded reach.

"We wholeheartedly support this merger and the vision of a truly transcontinental railroad," said Frank Vingerhoets, President of Katoen Natie North America. "Union Pacific’s strong Gulf Coast network has long been the backbone of our petrochemical logistics operations. Linking that network directly with Norfolk Southern’s East Coast routes will create unprecedented efficiencies. It means the plastic pellets and other products we handle can reach key markets faster and more seamlessly than ever. In short, it’s a win for shippers and for the entire supply chain."

ABOUT KATOEN NATIE

Katoen Natie is an international logistics service provider and port operator founded in 1854 and headquartered in Belgium. Katoen Natie is present in 35 countries on five continents, employing 18,000 worldwide. Katoen Natie is the largest global logistics service provider for the petrochemical industry in the world and handles more than 50 million tons of polymers on a yearly basis.

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