Governor Releases May "Open for Business"
Report
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Gov.
Joe Manchin today released the latest in a
series of regular "Open for Business"
reports, documenting the state's economic
progress. The May 2006 report reflects progress
in the state's economic development efforts
during the past month, with projects and related
announcements that will assist with the creation
of as many as 257 new jobs and the preservation
of a significant number of existing jobs.
Verizon announced expansions in Clarksburg,
Charleston and Martinsburg. The company
announced 32 new jobs and a $1 million renovation
at its Holden St. facility in Clarksburg.
The increase brings its work force to more
than 120 people, and with the upgrade they
have the capacity for more. This office does
sales and service for residential consumers
across the Mid-Atlantic region. Verizon added
71 jobs at three call centers in the company's
state headquarters location in Charleston.
These employees provide sales and service
to residential and business customers, also
within the Mid-Atlantic region. Verizon added
15 top technician jobs in Martinsburg at a
center that does specialized custom electronic
outfitting of remote terminal enclosures,
or huts, for the company's network facilities
across the East Coast.
Gov. Manchin led a mission to Europe
to meet prospective investors and strengthen
current relationships with European companies.
Representatives from the Governor's Office,
the West Virginia Development Office, the
West Virginia European Office and the West
Virginia Division of Tourism accompanied Gov.
Manchin to meet privately with prospective
investors in Germany and Italy. The group
visited representatives from current West
Virginia investors as well as other potential
new European investors. After promoting West
Virginia Tourism in Germany, First Lady Gayle
Manchin and Division of Tourism representatives
marketed the state's tourism opportunities
in London, England.
West Virginia Development Office
representatives participated in the Biotechnology
Industry Organization's BIO 2006 Annual Convention
in Chicago, an international conference
and trade show for biotech professionals.
BIO's annual event focuses on all aspects
of the biotechnology industry including biodefense,
drug development, biometrics, alternative
energy and nanotechnology. Representatives
from Marshall University, the Huntington Area
Development Council, Vandalia Research, Inc.,
Alcon Manufacturing and West Virginia University's
research park also attended.
GNH Trucking announced the location
of a 12,000-square-foot trucking company on
12.1 acres in the Northpointe Business &
Industry Park. The project will create
75 jobs. GNH Trucking, a family-owned company
headquartered in Farmington, Pennsylvania,
has been transporting commodities with Interstate
Commerce Commission authorities in 48 states
for more than 30 years. The company will invest
$2 million in the project, which will provide
trucking services for Gabriel Brothers, Kingsford
Charcoal, Lignetics, Clorox, Chemtura Corporation,
Dick's Sporting Goods and other local companies
in the tri-state area. GNH Trucking's Preston
County location also will have a repair component,
which will service business and industry park
tenants. Visit GNH Trucking at www.gnhtrucking.com.
West Virginia Development Office
representatives attended the SAE 2006 World
Congress in Detroit to promote the state's
automotive industry. Vehicle manufacturers,
suppliers, government and academia from around
the world gathered to exchange ideas on the
state of advanced automotive technology and
business in today's global marketplace. A
Charleston Area Alliance representative also
attended with the WVDO group.
Meiji Corporation announced the location
of a 2,000-square-foot sales office and warehouse
in the Appalachian Rail Car Building in the
Eleanor Industrial Park. Based in
Nagoya, Japan, the company distributes factory
automation components, specializing in equipment
for the automotive industry but also serving
the chemical, plastics, steel, printing and
food processing industries. Meiji Corporation's
U.S. headquarters is in Elkgrove Village,
Illinois. The company's West Virginia office
will serve as a branch of their Lexington,
Kentucky, location. Visit Meiji Corporation
at www.meijicorp.com.
A West Virginia Development Office
delegation promoted the state as a location
for the business services industry at the
HRO 2006 (Human Resource Outsourcing) conference
in New York City. The group also
included representatives from the Business
Development Corporation of the Northern Panhandle,
the Huntington Area Development Council, the
I-79 Development Council and the Regional
Economic Development Partnership. The state's
business services industry has created 3,085
jobs over the past three years, making it
one of the fastest growing sectors of the
economy. The industry consists of business
services centers, hospital and medical insurance
service carriers and insurance service centers.
This includes business entities engaged in
providing administrative and customer support
services, hospital and medical insurance plan
companies and entities providing services
to the insurance industry.
The West Virginia Economic Development
Authority granted preliminary approval for
a $222,260 loan to Inter-State Hardwoods Company,
Inc., for acquisition and installation
of a new molder line at its existing facility
in the East Fork Industrial Park at Bartow,
Pocahontas County. Inter-State Hardwoods manufactures
wood products serving coal mining, furniture,
log buildings and wood products manufacturers
and retailers. Installation of the new molder
line will permit the company to produce a
wider range of value-added wood products.
Inter-State Hardwoods will create six new
jobs over the next year.
West Virginia Development Office
representatives and representatives from Fayette
County attended the American Planning Association
meeting in San Antonio, Texas, to
make a presentation regarding development
of Wolf Creek Business Park in Fayette County.
The 1000-acre, mixed-use park includes business,
commercial and residential development.
The West Virginia Economic Development
Authority granted preliminary approval for
a $690,900 loan to K Group, LLC,
for acquisition and renovation of a 58,000-square-foot
building located in White Sulphur Springs,
Greenbrier County. The K Group, LLC, is a
real estate holding company and will lease
the facility to HCR Imaging, Inc. HCR has
been in operation for approximately three
years and converts medical record files to
a searchable digital image. K Group will create
58 new jobs over the next three years.
West Virginia's unemployment rate
of 4.5 percent in March is the lowest March
unemployment rate on record and the third
month in a row to post a new low, according
to WORKFORCE West Virginia. March
2005 total nonfarm payroll employment has
risen 9,600, with gains of 6,400 in the service-providing
sector and 3,200 in the goods-producing sector.
According to the Energy Information
Administration, West Virginia had the third-lowest
industrial electricity rates in the nation
during 2005. The state's industrial
rates were only 69 percent of the national
average, 3.86 cents per kilowatt-hour for
West Virginia compared to the national average
of 5.56 cents.
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