NORFOLK, Va., April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) announced today that 45 customers have earned the company's Thoroughbred Chemical Safety Award for their safe handling of chemical products in 2011.

Given annually for 16 years, the award recognizes companies and facilities that ship more than 1,000 carloads of federally regulated hazardous material over Norfolk Southern's rail network without incident for the year. In 2011, 39 corporations and six plants achieved that goal.

Altogether, these customers safely shipped more than 128,000 carloads of chemical products that are used in the manufacturing of various consumer goods. These shipments include industrial chemicals, petroleum products, biofuels, and sulfur -- all vital to consumers and the U.S. economy, but potentially dangerous if mishandled.

"Safety is Norfolk Southern's No. 1 priority, and we congratulate these valued customers for their shared commitment to best practices in chemical safety," said Norfolk Southern CEO Wick Moorman. "Every day, they help us to show that rail transportation is the safest, most efficient, and most environmentally friendly way to move the goods that are essential for American jobs and a strong economy. We salute them for their industry-leading performance and for partnering with us to help make Norfolk Southern the safest railroad in North America."

Customers earning the Thoroughbred Chemical Safety Award in 2011 are:

Abengoa Bioenergy
Akzo Nobel Chemicals Inc.
The Andersons, Inc.
ArcelorMittal USA
Archer Daniels Midland plant at Decatur, Ill.
Aventine Renewable Energy Inc.
BASF
BP plant at Whiting, Ind.
Cargill
Centennial Energy LLC
C.F. Industries
Eastman Chemical Company plant at Kingsport, Tenn.
E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Company
ERCO Worldwide
Finnchem USA Inc.
Flint Hills Resources LP
Hunt Refining Company
Huntsman Corporation
Husky Energy Inc.
Husky Marketing & Supply Company
INEOS USA LLC
INVISTA S.a.r.l.
Kemira Water Solutions
Lansing Ethanol Services
Linde LLC
Marathon Petroleum Company LP
Norfalco Inc.
Olin Chlor Alkali Products plant at McIntosh, Ala.
Olin Chlor Alkali Products plant at Nixon, Ga.
Oxbow Sulphur Inc.
Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan
Platinum Ethanol
POET Ethanol Products
PPG Industries, Inc.
The Procter & Gamble Co.
Shell Canada Energy
Shell Chemical LP
Silver Eagle Refining Inc.
Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, LLC
Sunbelt Chlor Alkali Partnership
Targa Resources
Toledo Refining Company LLC plant at Toledo, Ohio
United Refining Company
Valero Marketing & Supply
WRB Refining LLC

Norfolk Southern Corporation is one of the nation's premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway subsidiary operates approximately 20,000 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern United States, and provides efficient connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is a major transporter of coal and industrial products.

Connect with NS
http://www.nscorp.com/
http://www.facebook.com/NorfolkSouthern
http://www.flickr.com/photos/norfolksouthern  
http://www.twitter.com/nscorp  
http://www.youtube.com/user/norfolksoutherncorp

SOURCE Norfolk Southern Corporation