Guilford Rail System
Allows R.V.J.'s President
to Drive His Business
In 1964 on Nashua Street in Leominster, Massachusetts, Ron Johansson started a business in shipping plastics that would grow beyond his imagination. Operations expanded into Fitchburg in 1968. With customers like Exxon and Mobile, R.V.J., Inc. can ship to any location East of the Mississippi. As R.V.J. Inc. President Ron Johansson explained, Guilford Rail System gives him the chance to keep driving his business.
Q: Why did you decide to start shipping by rail?
A: It's by far the most practical way to get materials out of the Midwest and Houston, Texas area to here. The plastic used to come in bags and boxes by truck. With rail its all in bulk shipments that go right from the hopper car to the truck. For every rail car we fill four trucks.
Q: What are the savings by using rail?
A: If I were to ship by truck, my costs would double. Manpower and paperwork would go through the roof. With the railroad, it's only one company and they're bringing in a lot more bulk than I could ever coordinate with trucks.
Q: What was the size of your operation when R.V.J., Inc. got started?
A: We started out with 20 rail cars coming in at a time. In 1968 we expanded into Fitchburg with a yard that can hold up to 150 cars and we're looking at stretching that to fit another 45. They(Guilford Rail System) have been very cooperative with laying down new track. Tom Steiniger, Vice President, Marketing, and his people just hustle on every request. It's something else when you think about it, this business didn't even exist when I first started.
Q: You're the owner of the company but still drive a truck, why?
A: I guess I don't know any better. I feel that by working within my operation I have a better idea of what is going on. That is one of the advantages of utilizing the railroad. If II used just trucks, I would spend all of my time in the office managing things. I need to get out and be a part of how this place runs. I tell you I never would have dreamed that my business could have grown the way that it has. The other day I was talking to a salesman who has seen how much other rail yards in this business have expanded and he told me, "you ain't seen nothing yet."