Why Do Manufacturers Love the Advantage Valley?

Strategic location and low costs are just a couple of reasons manufacturers in Huntington, Charleston and around the region thrive here.

By Bill Lewis on October 21, 2023

Constellium

Advantage Valley boasts a robust and growing manufacturing sector that employs more than 21,000 workers. Manufacturers in Huntington, Charleston and the Advantage Valley benefit from a deep supply of skilled workers, a strategic location, integrated transportation network and lower electricity and labor costs.

The region has built growing manufacturing sectors in automotive components, aerospace and aviation, chemicals and polymers, metal fabrication, and food and beverage production.

Here are just a few of the major manufacturers in Huntington, Charleston and the Advantage Valley:

Nucor

When Nucor was ready to build a new $2.7 billion state-of-the-art sheet steel mill, it found the ideal location in Mason County. The mill will have capacity of 3 million tons per year and employ about 800 full-time workers.

Chemours

The Chemours Belle Plant, located in Belle in Kanawha County, has manufactured specialty and agricultural products since 1926. Chemours Belle employs approximately 250 workers.

Dow

Dow’s West Virginia Operations division is based in South Charleston in Kanawha County. Operations include the South Charleston Manufacturing Site, the South Charleston Technology Park and a site in Institute.

Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia

Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia is Toyota’s only combined engine and transmission plant in North America. It is the only plant in North America to produce hybrid transaxles. The plant is located in Buffalo in Putnam County. The $1.8 billion facility employs about 2,400 workers and has nearly 2 million square feet of space.

Rubberlite

Rubberlite is a leader of converted cellular rubber and plastic products as well as a manufacturer of custom-engineered polyurethane foams and flexible composite systems. The company’s operations in Advantage Valley are in Huntington.

TastyBlend

Located in Fraziers Bottom in Putnam County, TastyBlend produces a wide variety of foods. Its bakery is capable of producing 15,000 individually wrapped sandwiches per hour. The company has the ability to create formulas, source raw materials, blend and package. Products include breadings, soup bases, gravy, biscuit mixes and more. TastyBlend also develops private-label products. 

Alcon

Alcon is the largest eye care devices company in the world. Advantage Valley operations are located in Lesage in Cabell County and in Huntington.

Steel of West Virginia

One of the many great manufacturers in Huntington is Steel of West Virginia, a wholly owned subsidiary of Steel Dynamics. The company serves a wide range of industries.

Gestamp

Gestamp, located in South Charleston in Kanawha County, opened its stamping plant in 2012. The company has ramped up its workforce and the number of hot and cold stamping lines multiple times.

Constellium

With more than 1,100 employees, Constellium’s plant in Ravenswood, in Jackson County, is one of the world’s largest rolled products facilities, offering customers the most powerful plate stretchers in the world, as well as one of the largest cold rolling mills.