The Sky’s the Limit for Aerospace in Advantage Valley

The Advantage Valley region is an AEROready™-certified location for aviation and aerospace investment, offering strong infrastructure, a skilled workforce, advanced manufacturing capabilities and a business-friendly environment. Strategically located in West Virginia, the region provides access to major defense markets in Washington, D.C., as well as aerospace OEM operations for Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed Martin and Gulfstream.

The region supports a growing aerospace manufacturing and supply chain, with companies including Constellium, Star Technologies, Level 1 Fastener, Oerlikon Metco and Carbon Fiber Composites. Specialized capabilities include advanced materials, carbon fiber composites, metal fabrication and other technologies supporting aerospace, aviation and defense industries.

Advantage Valley draws from a labor shed of more than 621,000 people and benefits from specialized workforce training in aerospace engineering, advanced manufacturing, aviation maintenance, drone technology and mechatronics. Marshall University, Mountwest Community & Technical College and the Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center help prepare workers for high-demand aviation and aerospace careers.

Two commercial airports provide significant aviation infrastructure: West Virginia International Yeager Airport (KCRW) and Huntington Tri-State Airport (KHTS), which includes an Aeroplex capable of handling heavy air freight. Combined with I-64, I-77 and I-79, CSX and Norfolk Southern rail service and access to inland ports, Advantage Valley connects aerospace companies to customers, suppliers and markets throughout the eastern United States.