Gov. Bev Perdue announced today that Balfour Beatty Rail Inc. will expand its operations in Wayne County. The company plans to create 29 jobs and invest more than $1 million during the next three years in Goldsboro. The project was made possible in part by a $60,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund.
“My highest priority is creating jobs,” Gov. Perdue said. “Our state’s highly-rated workforce and job training programs create a strong business climate where advanced manufacturers can thrive in a global market.”
Balfour Beatty Rail provides design, engineering, construction and maintenance services for public and private railroad markets. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga. it is part of Balfour Beatty plc, a global engineering, construction, services and investment organization specializing in large infrastructure and building programs. Balfour Beatty Rail’s Traction Power Group manufactures electrical components for the public transit industry, including light rail and streetcars. The company currently employs more than 50 people at its Goldsboro facility.
Salaries will vary by job function, but the average salary for the new positions will be $43,000, plus benefits. The average annual wage in Wayne County is $31,512.
“The company acquired its Traction Power Group in 2010, and gives Balfour Beatty Rail the capability to manufacture custom power control centers, circuit breakers, controls, substations, AC switchgear and DC switchgear for traction power,” said Joe Reed vice president of Transit for Balfour Beatty Rail. “The current expansion is necessary as Balfour Beatty Rail anticipates a growing demand for mass transit construction opportunities around the U.S., including systems such as the Charlotte Light Rail System and the recently awarded Charlotte Street Car System. The company foresees the need for additional resources in the form of project engineers, project managers, document control, CAD and manufacturing personnel.”
The One NC Fund provides financial assistance, through local governments, to attract business projects that will stimulate economic activity and create new jobs in the state. Companies receive no money up front and must meet job creation and investment performance standards to qualify for grant funds. These grants also require and are contingent upon local matches.
North Carolina continues to have a top-ranked business climate. Through Gov. Perdue’s JobsNOW initiative, the state works aggressively to create jobs, train and retrain its workforce, and lay the foundation for a strong and sustainable economic future.
Through use of the One NC Fund, more than 65,000 jobs and $12 billion in investments have been created since 2001. Other partners that helped with this project include: the N.C. Department of Commerce, N.C. Community Colleges, Wayne County, Wayne County Development Alliance and the City of Goldsboro.