Industry reigns supreme in West Virginia. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2011, the state reported 1,278 manufacturing facilities, and in 2012, total output from manufacturing was $6.2 billion. Manufacturing in West Virginia accounts for 9 percent of the total state output and employs 6.3 percent of its work force.
The Mountain State is home to a variety of sectors within the manufacturing industry like steel, aluminum, glass, wood, polymers, chemicals, ceramics, energy, pharmaceuticals and automotive. Companies from around the globe have taken notice of West Virginia’s strengths as a business host, such as its prime location within close proximity to half of the U.S. population, its access to natural resources, its quality work force and its lower operations costs. Manufacturing accounted for 46.6 percent of West Virginia’s exports in 2013, as well as 48,500 jobs. For chemical and polymer manufacturing alone, the state is home to nearly 140 companies that employ 12,800 workers.
We have created the following map to show that, despite its small size, West Virginia is a major player both in manufacturing exports and contributing to the global marketplace. West Virginia Executive partnered with the West Virginia Manufacturers Association to showcase their members so our readers can see just how much the manufacturing industry means to the Mountain State. The companies, which are represented by their logos on the map, are currently manufacturing products in the state. We hope the map and accompanying business profiles make our readers aware of all the products that are made in West Virginia.
