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S. Schwab company chooses West Virginia
for new Ralph Lauren distribution center
S. Schwab Company has announced plans to construct a $7 million distribution center in Martinsburg, West Virginia, to distribute Ralph Lauren Childrenswear, creating as many as 140 new jobs.
The Cumberland, Maryland-based manufacturer of children's wear will build a 187,000-square-foot facility on a 27-acre site within the John D. Rockefeller IV Science and Technology Center, adjacent to the Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport
"We are excited to be locating in Martinsburg and West Virginia," said Cliff Sumner, director of distribution for S. Schwab Co. "The park is an outstanding site and is strategically situated for our customer base. The state of West Virginia has been a great partner in helping us locate there."
A Polo licensee since 1994, Schwab manufactures Ralph Lauren Infants and Toddlers and Ralph Lauren Girls apparel. By late 1999, the company will be the sole domestic licensee for Polo Ralph Lauren children's apparel business.
Schwab chose Martinsburg as the location for the facility over sites in Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia.
Covol Technologies to open synthetic fuel
manufacturing plants in West Virginia
Covol Technologies, a Lehi, Utah-based company, will open four synthetic fuel manufacturing plants in West Virginia, creating as many as 160 new jobs.
The new facilities, in McDowell, Raleigh and Upshur counties, will create synthetic fuel pellets using a Covol-patented process which binds waste coal fines into a solid synthetic fuel product. The end product will be marketed through traditional coal marketing channels.
Covol wishes to express appreciation and gratitude to Governor Underwood and the many agencies that worked tirelessly to bring all of these projects to fruition," said Brent M. Cook, president and chief executive officer of Covol Technologies, Inc. "West Virginia will benefit environmentally and economically from the application of Covol's technologies."
Operations at the facilities are expected to begin during Summer 1998.
Weyerhaeuser sets company record
for production at West Virginia plant
Employees at Weyerhaeuser's Oriented Strand Board (OSB) plant in Braxton County, West Virginia, set a company production record in the facility's first full year of production.
Company officials stated that 430 million square feet of OSB were produced at the facility, accounting for over $50 million in sales for 1997.
After considering more than 60 sites in the state, Weyerhaeuser decided in 1994 to locate its largest and newest high-tech facility near Sutton, West Virginia
"Braxton County has been a good choice for Weyerhaeuser," said David L. Craft, general manager of the Sutton facility. "We have excellent support. The work ethic is very strong here in West Virginia."
The company employs 180 at the facility
Civic Development Group expands
operations in West Virginia
Civic Development Group has announced plans for four new call centers in West Virginia, increasing the number of people it employs in the state's growing teleservices industry by 650. The Hopelawn, New Jersey-based company provides telemarketing services and educational seminars.
The company will open call centers in Wellsburg, Elkins, Clarksburg and Charleston, increasing its number of West Virginia operations to six.
The company employs more than 1,200 at its various West Virginia facilities.
West Virginia trade delegation
attends ExpoMin '98
Governor Cecil H. Underwood and CharlesSix companies recently partnered with the West Virginia Development Office, West Virginia Export Council and U.S. Department of Commerce to participate in ExpoMin '98, the most important international mining show for the world's largest mining market - Latin America.
The five-day event, held May 12-16, 1998, featured the latest machinery, equipment, services and supplies from around the world.
West Virginia companies participating included ABC Industries Inc., Charleston; Aquafix, Kingwood; Kanawha Scales & Systems Inc., Poca; Kanawha Manufacturing Co., Charleston; Intec Incorporated, Elkins; and The Moore Company, Charleston.
EZ-NET locates corporate headquarters
in Huntington, West Virginia
EZ-NET, a newly formed information technology company, will invest $7 million in establishing its corporate headquarters in Huntington, West Virginia, creating 100 new jobs.
The company will provide a variety of computer services, including Internet access, technical training and skills development services for businesses and networking applications, custom software and network services, system design and implementation.
Company officials cited West Virginia's advanced telecommunications infrastructure, available quality work force and the Tri-State region's excellent quality of life as the determining factors in choosing Huntington as its corporate base of operations.
International trade partners honored
at Washington, D.C., luncheon
Teknetix Inc. has announced plans to expand its manufacturing operatGovernor Cecil H. Underwood, Senator Jay Rockefeller and members of the West Virginia Council for Community and Economic Development recognized the state's international trade partners at a special appreciation luncheon May 20, in Washington, D.C.
The event at the Willard Inter-Continental Hotel highlighted the importance of international trade to West Virginia's economy and gave the state's leaders an opportunity to recruit additional investment.
"Through this event, we have told international ambassadors and embassy representatives that West Virginia is a player in the world economy," said David Lowe, chairman, West Virginia Council for Community and Economic Development. "This is a first for West Virginia. We've adopted an aggressive policy of promoting our state and we believe it will serve us well in the future."
Governor Underwood concludes
successful mission to Europe
Governor Cecil H. Underwood and a delegation of West Virginia economic development and technology officials recently completed a nine-day mission to Europe to attract additional international investment and meet with officials of companies already located in the state.
During the mission to Germany, Gov. Underwood met with corporate officials at international automaker Daimler-Benz and machinery and equipment manufacturer Siemens AG in Munich.
The Governor also met with executives from three companies currently investing in West Virginia - Bayer AG, Schott Glas and Ruhrkohle Bergwerks-Verien AG (RAG-EBV).
In addition to meeting with corporate officials, the governor and members of the delegation made presentations to business and trade associations in Germany and the United Kingdom promoting the state's wood products and technology-based industries.
RAG-EBV mining subsidiary to move
North American headquarters to West Virginia
Ruhr American Coal Co., the North American subsidiary of RAG-EBV, international mining subsidiary of The RAG Group, will relocate its headquarters from New York City to Charleston, West Virginia.
The RAG Group is an international corporation that offers a range of energy and technology-based products and services that are provided by 330 companies employing 100,000 worldwide.
"Ruhr American Coal Co. is the latest coal industry leader to call West Virginia home," said Gov. Cecil H. Underwood. "We are delighted RAG-EBV has decided to relocate its North American headquarters to the Mountain State. We welcome this new investment in West Virginia's mining industry."
As Germany's largest coal company, RAG generated more than $15 billion in sales during 1997. The announcement followed a June 3rd meeting between Gov. Underwood and RAG-EBV officials at the company's headquarters in Essen, Germany.
Snowshoe Mountain Resort announces
$36 million expansion project
Governor Cecil H. Underwood recently joined officials of Snowshoe Mountain Resort and its parent company, Intrawest Corp., to announce a $36 million expansion project at the Pocahontas County, West Virginia resort.
"Intrawest's commitment to improving Snowshoe is wonderful news for West Virginia," Gov. Underwood said. "We know that Intrawest is a widely respected company that has developed and managed some of North America's finest resorts. We certainly want to work closely with Intrawest as it endeavors to build Snowshoe into a four-season resort."
The resort will upgrade ski lifts, trail lighting, and begin construction on Rimfire Lodge, the first project of the resort's new 400-unit Wildcat Village. Shaver's Lake, Snowshoe's principal water source, will also be expanded to 40-acres, increasing its water capacity nearly 10 times.
The announcement brings Intrawest's total investment in improvements at Snowshoe during the last two years to $51 million; the largest investment in a eastern United States ski resort during the period.
West Virginia Development Office
captures national marketing awards
The West Virginia Development Office captured top honors in the American Economic Development Council (AEDC) 1998 Promotional Materials Awards competition.
The award-winning publications are the West Virginia Council for Community and Economic Development 1997 Annual Report, named "Best of Class" in the annual reports category, and the Polymer Alliance Zone marketing brochure, named "Superior" among special purpose report entries. Both publications were written, designed and produced by the Marketing and Communications Division of the West Virginia Development Office.
Formed in 1926, the AEDC is the nation's largest and oldest economic development council with more than 3,000 members nationwide.
Underwood meets with Japanese
business leaders during Tokyo visit
Governor Cecil H. Underwood met with executives of several Japanese companies during a visit to Tokyo in early April, encouraging them to establish new operations and expand existing facilities in West Virginia.
Before opening its trade office in Nagoya, Japan in 1990, West Virginia had only one Japanese company in the state. Today, 14 Japanese companies have operations in West Virginia.
"We are pleased that Japanese companies have selected West Virginia, and we are committed to ensuring their success," said Gov. Underwood. "Japanese companies have found that with its skilled, available work force, strategic market location, low cost electricity rates, low crime rate and other factors, West Virginia offers a profitable location for manufacturing facilities."
West Virginia has lowest
crime rate for 24th year in a row
West Virginia recorded the nation's lowest crime rate for the 24th consecutive year, according to statistics released recently by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Uniform Crime Reporting Division.
There were 2.84 crimes committed in West Virginia for every 100,000 residents, according to Uniform Crime Reporting spokeswoman Gayle Midkiff. West Virginia's ranking comes from a comparison to similar statistics in all 50 states.
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