Charleston, WV. January 13, 2022 – Two counties in Advantage Valley’s Metro Region, Mason County and Kanawha County, welcomed yesterday’s significant announcements from two companies opening new manufacturing facilities. Nucor Steel Company plans to build a new state-of-the-art sheet mill in Point Pleasant (Mason County, WV) and position West Virginia as a leader in clean steel production. GreenPower Motor Company plans to manufacture zero-emission, all-electric school buses at a manufacturing facility in South Charleston (Kanawha County, WV). Together, the two announced projects will bring an estimated 2700 jobs to the Advantage Valley region.
Nucor Steel, the largest steel manufacturer in the United States, is building its largest facility in West Virginia. Nucor produces steel by recycling scrap metal in electric arc furnaces, making the company North America’s largest recycler of any material. This steelmaking process makes Nucor one of the cleanest steel producers in the world and a leader in sustainable steel production. The historic project will be a $2.7 billion investment that will create over 800 well-paying permanent jobs and 1,000 construction jobs.
“We are incredibly excited to be building this new steel mill in West Virginia. This will be the world’s most advanced sheet steel mill producing the most sustainable steel that will build our nation’s modern 21st century economy,” Leon Topalian, President and Chief Executive Officer of Nucor Corporation, said in a news release. “This is a transformational project that will have a significant economic impact in Mason County and surrounding areas. We look forward to being part of the community for decades to come.”
GreenPower Motor Company Inc., a leading manufacturer and distributor of zero-emission, electric-powered medium and heavy-duty vehicles, will manufacture all-electric school buses in South Charleston. The company says it will create up to 200 new jobs this year and up to 900 jobs when full production is reached in two years. GreenPower estimates that the economic impact of its investment would reach $500 million per year.
“GreenPower is pleased to announce its zero-emissions, all-electric school bus manufacturing operations expanding east of the Mississippi River, with West Virginia becoming our school bus manufacturing base of operations for the region,” said Brendan Riley, President of GreenPower. “West Virginia has shown us to be a pro-business state that has a workforce ready to take advantage of clean energy jobs. Our facility will provide both training and immediate employment opportunities with a competitive wage.”
“These two economic development announcements are so consequential for the future economic health of the Advantage Valley region, as well as for the entire state. These large investments in manufacturing, and the jobs that will accompany them, will pay dividends for generations to come,” says Advantage Valley’s Executive Director Terrell Ellis. “It is terrific having members of our WV Legislature focus so directly on Economic Development this session,” continues Ellis. “Recent legislation proves the state’s commitment to boldly supporting new business investment and wanting to put WV on the map as truly competitive.”
Advantage Valley is a non-profit economic development and marketing organization that works with the State of West Virginia, local governments, county economic development authorities, sector and business leaders, chambers of commerce, academic and training institutions, and nonprofit partners to showcase a nine-county region and strengthen its economy.
The combined Economic Development Authorities of WV’s nine-county Advantage Valley region include the Huntington Area Development Council, the Putnam County Development Authority, the Charleston Area Alliance, the Boone County Community and Economic Development Authority, the Jackson County Development Authority, the Lincoln County Economic Development Authority, the Mason County Economic Development Corporation, and the Wayne County Economic Development Authority.
###
ADVANTAGE VALLEY builds economic vibrancy in the Charleston-Huntington region by attracting new businesses, retaining existing businesses and promoting business start-ups.