Rail-served locations feature proximity to most of the Midwest, great infrastructure with direct access to multiple Class 1 railroads and a well-trained workforce
OmniTRAX Inc., a comprehensive logistics solutions provider and affiliate of The Broe Group, is working with the Rockford Area Economic Development Council (RAEDC) and the City of Peru to bring its Rail-Ready Sites program to the Illinois Railway (IR). The OmniTRAX Rail-Ready Sites program connects companies looking to maximize supply chain performance with rail-served properties.
OmniTRAX and RAEDC are initially marketing four rail-served sites on the IR ranging from 24 to 1,058 acres and totaling 1,154 acres. With the City of Peru, OmniTRAX is promoting five parcels ranging 60 to 161 acres and totaling 530 acres. The IR interchanges with Class 1 railroads BNSF, CSX, Union Pacific, Canadian Pacific, Norfolk Southern and Canadian National.
“With great infrastructure connecting Rockford and Peru to Chicago and points east, Minneapolis and points west and St. Louis to the south, companies locating here can get their products to market more effectively than most areas of the country. We look forward to working with the Rockford Area Economic Development Council and the City of Peru to help bring jobs and economic growth to the region,” said Ean Johnson, Vice President of Industrial Development at OmniTRAX.
Rockford and Peru are attractive locations for advanced and heavy industries, including automotive assembly & parts manufacturing, aerospace component manufacturing and pharmaceuticals, value-added agriculture and logistics/warehousing.
“The greater Peru area can ship to and receive from two-thirds of the country in two days, has one of the lowest property tax rates in Illinois, includes several efficient transportation options and features a series of robust workforce development programs. Our growing relationship with OmniTRAX, which also includes the Peru Industrial Railroad here in town, is sure to attract even more attention from companies that will benefit from rail service,” said City of Peru Mayor Scott J. Harl.
Gerald D. Sagona, Vice President of Business Development at RAEDC, said, “Rockford features a highly-skilled workforce and a lower cost of living for those workers, so companies moving to the area will have no problem staffing their facilities. The partnership with OmniTRAX combined with the region’s extensive benefits will provide companies considering locating in Rockford a comprehensive and easy to execute solution to their facility needs.”
Robert Vickrey, Director of Economic Development, City of Peru, added that educational institutions like Illinois Valley Community College, which specialize in manufacturing training, make the regions served by the Illinois Railway even more attractive. “Illinois Valley Community College and similar manufacturing training academies are quickly addressing the shortage of skilled laborers with grants from Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The employee needs of companies locating here will be fully met.”
