West Virginia is in the heart of the U.S. chemical manufacturing region and benefits from immediate access to raw materials, specialized services, downstream customers and consumer markets. West Virginia is well positioned to support the industry with major in-state suppliers and those operating in immediate surrounding states.
West Virginia has identified sectors of the chemical and polymer manufacturing industry where it has proven advantages in overall cost competitiveness, access to skilled workers, access to raw materials and proximity to markets. These sectors are outlined in the table below:
West Virginia’s Areas of Focus for Chemical and Polymer Manufacturing
| Specialty Chemicals |
| NAICS 325188: Specialty chemicals for the pharmaceuticals, agricultural, electronics, automotive industries |
| NAICS 3256: Soaps and cleaning compounds |
| NAICS 3255: Coatings and adhesives |
| NAICS 541690: Scientific and technical consulting services to the chemical industry |
| Polymers |
| NAICS 325211: Plastics materials and resins |
| NAICS 325991: Specialty resins |
| NAICS 562920: Plastics recycling |
| NAICS 3261: Fabricated plastics |
| Advanced Materials |
| NAICS 335991: Advanced carbon and composite products |
| NAICS 331492: Advanced metal alloys |
| NAICS 327999: Advanced ceramic materials |
| Raw Materials Required |
Number of producers within 250 miles |
| Plastic resins consumed in the form of granules, pellets, powders, liquids, etc. |
50 |
| Acrylates and methacrylates, monomers |
18 |
| Vinyl chloride, monomer |
8 |
| Other cyclic crudes and intermediates |
42 |
| Synthetic organic dyes, pigments, lakes and toners |
69 |
| Phenol |
1 |
| Styrene |
3 |
| Alcohols, except ethyl |
9 |
| Ethylene |
5 |
| Propylene |
1 |
| Butadiene |
2 |
| Vinyl acetate, monomer |
1 |
| Formaldehyde |
4 |
| Total |
213 |
Source: Dun and Bradstreet, March 2006
| Raw Materials Required |
D&B Code |
W.Va. Supply |
Total within 250 miles
(No. of companies) |
| Bulk surface active agents |
2843 |
1 |
31 |
| Plastics containers |
3089-01 |
3 |
237 |
| Paperboard containers, boxes and corrugated paperboard |
2653 |
3 |
441 |
| Industrial inorganic chemicals |
2819 |
22 |
392 |
| Perfume oil mixtures and blends |
2844-03 |
1 |
24 |
| Refined petroleum products (mineral oil, naphtha solvents, etc.) |
2911-02/04 |
3 |
19 |
| Powdered metals and minerals |
3295 |
11 |
142 |
| Parts and attachments for machinery and equipment |
5084-9902 |
3 |
44 |
| Phosphoric acid, excluding spent (100 percent P205) |
2874-0104 |
|
|
| Synthetic organic materials |
2869 |
22 |
346 |
| Synthetic rubber |
2822 |
5 |
89 |
Paper and paperboard boxes
(incl. fiber cans, tubes and drums) |
2655 |
1 |
86 |
| Polyvinyl acetate resins, purchased |
2821-0219 |
2 |
14 |
| Total |
|
77 |
1,865 |
Source: D&B Marketplace, First Quarter 2006