Economic development efforts of BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) were instrumental in the location of 114 new or expanded facilities during 2005 in the areas served by the railway. These facilities involved investments of $1.3 billion and the creation of about 7,000 jobs. In 2004, BNSF's economic development efforts resulted in $1.24 billion in facility investments and created 3,300 jobs.
The 114 facilities included lumberyards and transload facilities in California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas and Texas; paper distribution facilities in California and Kansas and a major retail distribution facility in Illinois. Other companies located along BNSF lines in 2005 include several facilities for building products, fertilizers, plastics, aggregates and ethanol.
BNSF assisted Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., the nation's largest company, in locating a 3.4 million-square-foot bulk storage facility near BNSF's Logistics Park-Chicago in Elwood, IL. The facility will bring more than 600 jobs to the area and is scheduled to open in the second half of 2006.
"This facility represents a major new development in transportation and distribution," says Vann Cunningham, BNSF's assistant vice president, Economic Development. "Today's logistics needs require the availability of a full suite of transportation options centrally located near the point of distribution. BNSF's Logistics Park-Chicago provides Wal-Mart with a unique solution for their transportation and distribution needs as well bringing economic growth to the community."
Cunningham added that BNSF's economic development efforts continue to help not just its customers, but the communities where it operates. "The ability of businesses to respond to rapidly changing market conditions is key to their continued success, and to the success of the communities in which they operate," Cunningham says. "BNSF continues to be among the transportation industry leaders in helping to manage that critical component for our customers. Our partnerships with state and local public and private economic development agencies help businesses accelerate improvements to their supply chain process--from site selection to optimizing distribution networks."
