RICHMOND. Va. (WVEC) -- Norfolk Southern Corporation is investing $8.2 million to expand its corporate headquarters in Norfolk to accommodate 165 new employees, Governor Terry McAuliffe announced Thursday.
The expansion and new jobs are the result of the consolidation of the company’s corporate offices in Norfolk and Atlanta and the closure of its Roanoke office building.
Employees in Norfolk Southern’s industrial products, coal marketing, sourcing, tax, treasury, and audit and compliance departments relocated from Roanoke to Norfolk, bringing regional employment to 1,050.
“Norfolk Southern is a vital corporate partner and economic engine for the Commonwealth, and retaining the company’s strong presence in Virginia is a top priority. We are pleased that Norfolk Southern will invest in its corporate headquarters in the City of Norfolk and maintain its locomotive facilities in Roanoke. We are confident that the company, a key customer of the Port of Virginia, benefits from our excellent business environment, and we remain ready to facilitate its continued success here in Virginia any way we can,” Governor McAuliffe said.
The Norfolk Southern Railway Company subsidiary operates approximately 20,000 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern United States, and provides efficient connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is a major transporter of coal, automotive, and industrial products.
In Virginia, Norfolk Southern in 2015 employed 4,537 people, funded a payroll of $363 million, and spent $223 million in purchases and payments with suppliers and local businesses.
Governor McAuliffe approved a $1.925 million grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist Norfolk with the project.
Roanoke remains the headquarters for Norfolk Southern’s Pocahontas Division, and the company operates a local switching yard and locomotive and car maintenance facilities there. More than 1,350 NS employees are based in the city.
