Area Development
A company that provides design, engineering, construction and maintenance services for public and private railroad markets Balfour Beatty Rail Inc. plans to invest $1 million to expand its operations in Wayne County, North Carolina, creating almost 29 jobs during the next three years in Goldsboro.

Headquartered in Atlanta, the company 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, North Carolina facility.

“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 project was made possible in part by a $60,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund, said Gov. Bev Perdue. The city of Goldsboro also assisted in the expansion.

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.