Norfolk Southern launches first-in-class industrial sites search engine
ATLANTE, December 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) has launched NSites, a GIS-based search engine to help businesses easily find rail-served industrial sites and transshipment facilities that meet their needs. This innovative online portal provides comprehensive information on industrial sites near Norfolk Southern’s transport infrastructure, encouraging investment and job creation.
Norfolk Southern’s network connects customers to all major container ports in the eastern United States and reaches the majority of the nation’s population and manufacturing base.
“We developed NSites with the user in mind, to empower current and future customers in site selection decisions,” said Ed Elkins, executive vice president and chief marketing officer. “Before NSites, there was no single destination to help large manufacturers, site selection professionals and developers identify and compare rail-served industrial sites that offer the exact site characteristics they need. need.”
The search tool includes over 800 industrial locations available across 22 railroad states, all verified as accessible by rail by Norfolk Southern or one of its branch line partners. Additionally, users can find nearly 250 rail-to-truck transload facilities in key markets across the eastern United States.
Similar to online residential real estate sites that allow users to search for homes based on their criteria, NSites allows for a personalized property search. Using targeted filters, businesses can sift through results based on square footage, location, existing storage, and proximity to highways, intermodal terminals, and port facilities.
“Technology is at the heart of how we serve our customers, and NSites is one of many initiatives we are developing to build the digital railroad of the future,” Elkins said.
Access to cost-effective and environmentally friendly rail transportation is an increasingly important factor in the site selection process for manufacturing and distribution companies with multimodal supply chains. The NSites platform improves the transparency and efficiency of the process, providing users with Norfolk Southern site-specific contacts who can answer questions and coordinate projects from initial contact through to first car delivery.
“Norfolk Southern provides safe, reliable and efficient freight transport which is also the most sustainable option for shipping goods overland. Moving by rail rather than truck reduces carbon emissions by an average of 75%,” Elkins said. “Investing in rail-accessible sites also helps create jobs in the communities we serve.”
Among its many innovative features, NSites offers automatically generated brochures and downloadable site data that users can analyze offline and share with other stakeholders in the site selection process.
For a brief demonstration of the NSites platform, click on here and for more information visit nsites.nscorp.com.
About South Norfolk
Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is one of the nation’s leading transportation companies, moving the goods and materials that drive America’s economy. Norfolk Southern connects customers to markets and communities to economic opportunity, with safe, reliable and cost-effective shipping solutions. The company’s service area includes 22 states and the District of Colombia, all major container ports in the East United States, and a majority of the population and manufacturing base of the United States.
SOURCE Norfolk Southern Corporation