The Norfolk Southern rail-served industrial development site in northwest Alabama has received a platinum REDI Sites designation, officials with the railroad said.
According to the company, the site, located near Muscle Shoals and Florence, AL, received the top designation from the national program because it met rigorous readiness criteria. The designation signals to global site selection professionals that the site is ready for a fast-track development timeline.
“Today’s designation for our Shoals-area site underscores Norfolk Southern’s continued commitment to developing quality, shovel-ready sites that rail shippers can trust to meet their evolving business needs,” Norfolk Southern’s Director of Industrial Development, MaryBeth Flournoy, said. “With its access to markets across the Southeast and Midwest, the Shoals site is positioned to attract companies looking to grow their business with rail.”
Officials said the site has rail access, utility infrastructure, and a highly-skilled regional workforce and pro-business ecosystem. The site is positioned to support industrial and logistics growth in the Tennessee Valley.
“The recognition reinforces the Shoals region’s standing as an industrial growth market,” Ellen McNair, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, said. “We are proud to partner with Norfolk Southern and regional stakeholders to showcase this site’s readiness for significant investment and job creation.”
Norfolk Southern said it continues to invest in the region’s infrastructure, improving rail capacity between northern Alabama and key domestic and global markets via the Port of Mobile.
“At the Shoals EDA, we are focused on advancing The Shoals region as a competitive and attractive destination for business and industry,” Kevin Jackson, Shoals EDA president., said. “Our sites and buildings are central to that strategy, and this designation further reinforces our efforts. We appreciate Norfolk Southern’s partnership and its efforts to highlight the potential of this site.”