Atlanta Business Chronicle: The rail industry and America’s re-industrialization

The following article appeared in the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s annual Made in Georgia manufacturing edition on September 26, 2025.

America is experiencing a manufacturing renaissance. After decades of globalization, companies are investing billions in advanced facilities, reshoring production, and rethinking supply chains for a new era of resilience. At the center of this transformation is the mode of transportation that has powered U.S. industry for nearly two centuries: freight rail.

Railroads have always been essential to American growth, moving raw materials and finished products. But today, their role has expanded. They are helping manufacturers choose the right sites, build smarter operations, and connect with global markets in ways that position the U.S. for long-term competitiveness. Norfolk Southern (NS), with its extensive rail network and REDI-certified industrial sites, is proving that rail is more than a mover of goods—it’s an enabler of national re-industrialization.

Rail as a Competitive Advantage

As manufacturing accelerates across the country, rail provides something no other mode can: scale, efficiency, and sustainability. Compared to trucking, rail offers lower costs for high-volume freight and dramatically lower emissions. In a global economy where efficiency and carbon reduction are both competitive levers, railroads give manufacturers an edge.

But rail’s impact goes beyond transportation. By integrating early in the business location planning and site-selection process, identifying opportunities and challenges, and collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to streamline a path to construction, NS helps companies de-risk investments and accelerate timelines. Its REDI-certified sites come with direct rail service, engineering expertise, and permitting guidance—allowing manufacturers to go from blueprint to production faster with confidence.

Georgia as a Model

Across the U.S., new rail-served projects are unlocking opportunity. Georgia, in particular, has become a showcase for how rail-enabled industrial development drives both economic investment and community growth. For example, The City of Valdosta added two new NS-served manufacturing facilities in 2024; combined, these facilities resulted in nearly $200 million in investments and added 175 local jobs.

Norfolk Southern projects in Georgia reflect a broader national trend: manufacturers are choosing rail-served sites because they combine cost savings, environmental benefits, and connectivity to global trade routes.

And this momentum continues. Announced projects like Aurubis’ copper recycling facility in Augusta and Irving Tissue’s expansion in Macon illustrate how rail-ready sites attract transformational investments in clean energy, advanced materials, and consumer goods.

• Aurubis (Augusta): $800 million investment, creating 230 jobs.
• Irving Tissue (Macon): $600 million investment, employing 100 workers.
• Solar Cycle (Cedartown): $344.5 million investment, adding 617 jobs.

Beyond Freight: Building Resilient Supply Chains and Communities

What sets rail apart in this era of re-industrialization is its ability to future-proof supply chains. By offering a lower-emission, higher-capacity alternative to long-haul trucking, railroads help companies meet the dual challenge of growth and sustainability.

For NS, the mission goes beyond logistics. Every new facility supported means jobs, tax base, and opportunity for communities. By pairing industrial development with environmental stewardship, NS is helping manufacturers—and the towns and cities they call home—thrive in the next chapter of American industry.

The Track Ahead
The story of America’s re-industrialization is still being written, and one fact is clear: railroads are essential to its success. They provide the scale, sustainability, and reliability manufacturers need to compete globally, while ensuring that communities are ready to capture new opportunities. Norfolk Southern’s network of REDI-certified sites makes this possible, offering shovel-ready, rail-ready, and future-ready locations for investment.

From renewable energy components to construction materials and consumer products, NS works with partners to put critical infrastructure in place before demand surges, turning potential into production. The result is stronger supply chains, more resilient communities, and the next era of U.S. industrial leadership.

That commitment is already visible in Georgia, where rail is a key component in driving new industrial development projects across the state, including multiple rail-intensive projects announced in recent years. Discover how Norfolk Southern supports industrial development and REDI-certified sites across Georgia and beyond: norfolksouthern.com