Class I Briefs: NS, CSX
Written by Carolina Worrell, Senior Editor
First carloads for IFG moving on Norfolk Southern rail.
Norfolk Southern (NS) partners with the Idaho Forest Group (IFG) to establish a sawmill in Lamar County, Miss. Also, CSX is named a Best for Vets Employer by Military Times.
NS
NS recently announced that in 2020 the Class I railroad partnered with IFG to establish a sawmill in Lamar County, Miss.
NS’s partnership with the Mississippi Development Authority, Area Development Partnership, and local officials to support IFG is “a prime example of how critical collaboration is to shared success,” the Class I said. The venture marked a significant initial investment, and because of the collaboration, the company added almost 200 new jobs in the region. Last month, NS moved its very first carloads for IFG, and several NS railroaders were on hand to mark the milestone.
“Our team was on the frontlines with our local and state partners from the early stages of the company’s search to the build out of rail for their supply chain needs, and to the shipment of their first carloads,” said NS VP Real Estate and Business Development Kathleen Smith. “That’s the quality of comprehensive service we provide at Norfolk Southern, and we look forward to contributing to the success of this operation as carloads begin.”
According to the Class I railroad, the IFG project “highlighted the power of cross-collaboration within NS, and the use of a wide range of tools, from internal technology to physical assets, showcased NS’s commitment to comprehensive service.” Various business groups, including Industrial Development, Industrial Products, Operations, MW&S, Strategic Planning, Field Sales, and Customer Logistics, worked together to provide “a customer-centric and operations-driven solution for IFG,” NS said.
“Norfolk Southern’s product is service, and our service goes beyond the track,” Smith added. “As evidenced by the many Norfolk Southern team members involved in this project, our entire organization is united, and we are working to build even greater resiliency, capacity, and reliability into our supply chain offerings to yield smart, sustainable growth. I’m proud of the work that we do to support quality economic development projects – like Idaho Forest Group’s lumber mill in Mississippi.”
The partnership between NS, its economic development partners, and IFG, the Class I railroad says, “illustrates the pivotal role of rail in promoting smart, sustainable growth for customers and the American economy.
“IFG’s growth in North American and international markets signals a promising future for this collaboration. In fact, IFG’s selection of this location could make them one of NS’s largest customers in the dimensional lumber franchise as operations ramp up.”
CSX
CSX announced on Nov. 6 that it has again been named a Best for Vets Employer by the Military Times news organization for the company’s practices and policies that support veterans transitioning to the civilian workforce.
Focusing on how organizations recruit, mentor and retain U.S. service members, the 2023 survey ranked CSX 34th on the list of 230 companies receiving the honor. CSX ranked first among eight transportation companies to make the list.
The Best for Vets Employers survey “spotlights companies’ employment programs that help transitioning service members excel in their post-military careers,” said Military Times Senior Vice President of Media Solutions Mort Greenberg.
Recruitment and employment practices, as well as retention and support programs, were given the most weight in the final rankings, which CSX says, are designed to help assist transitioning service members, veterans and their families in evaluating prospective employers.
“It’s an honor for CSX to be recognized among the best companies in the nation for recruiting, hiring and retaining veterans,” said CSX Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Diana Sorfleet. “CSX’s veterans consistently demonstrate the teamwork and service commitment that characterize our ONE CSX employee culture.”
According to the Class I railroad, “CSX creates a veteran-friendly environment through its career-development programs; through its Pride in Service community investment initiative, which supports the military community and first responders; and through its Military Business Resource Group, which enables veterans to connect and share their insights, challenges and successes.”
CSX, which supports employees who continue to serve in the National Guard and Reserves by ensuring they can perform their service without impacting their compensation, also participates in programs that help veterans successfully transition to private industry.
The full 2023 Best for Vets ranking is available here.
