NCRR awards $600K rail infrastructure grant for future healthcare chem plant

The North Carolina Railroad Co. (NCRR) is providing up to $600,000 to build rail infrastructure in support of a STERIS plc facility in Lee County, North Carolina.

STERIS, a global healthcare company, plans to construct a $600 million Chemistries Manufacturing Center of Excellence, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein announced in a press release yesterday. The new 600,000-square-foot campus will include advanced manufacturing, research and development, lab, warehouse and distribution operations.

Through its NCRR Invests grant program, NCRR will help fund the design and construction of on-site rail for the campus, which will be located in the Helix Innovation Park at the Brickyard in the city of Stanford. Once operational, STERIS will use the rail infrastructure to receive and distribute a minimum of 160 rail cars annually by 2031, NCRR officials said in a press release.

Since the launch of NCRR Invests in 2016, the short line company has funded rail-related improvements worth more than $18 million. The initiative uses private revenue to fund rail projects that help attract new employers and expand existing industries to keep North Carolina competitive, NCRR officials said.