The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) approved an $83.1 million loan guarantee to support the sale of six American-made locomotives, railroad cars, and mining equipment to the Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC). This transaction supported 500 U.S. jobs across a range of American businesses in six states (Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin). 

“As global infrastructure investment increases, high quality, American-made locomotives and equipment are in demand around the world,” said Fred P. Hochberg, chairman and president of Ex-Im Bank.  “Ex-Im is committed to ensuring that the financing is in place to allow American companies to win a growing share of these sales. These transactions bolster our manufacturing base, while creating, supporting and sustaining good jobs in communities across the United States.”

2011 was a record year in locomotive financing for Ex-Im Bank, with more than $550 million supporting the sale of American-made locomotives to hard to reach markets, including Kazakhstan and South Africa.

The U.S. companies involved in the IOC transaction include Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc. (EMD) (LaGrange, Ill.), American Rail Car Industries Inc. (St. Charles, Mo.), Freightcar America Inc. (Chicago, Ill.), Harnischfeger Corp. (Milwaukee, Wisc.), Komatsu America Corp. (Peoria, Ill.), and Caterpillar, Inc. (Peoria, Ill.). Comerica Bank (Detroit, Mich.) is the guaranteed lender.

“These companies build products that are built to last and in the process they are building an American economy that is built to last – one that is driven by manufacturing, exports and the most talented and productive workers in the world,” added Hochberg.

This is the second order backed by Ex-Im Bank financing for IOC. The locomotives, railroad cars, and mining equipment are being used to expand IOC’s production in Labrador City, Newfoundland.