Commentary
Thursday August 11, 2011

But Pennsylvania, Ohio are competing

The efforts by many West Virginia public officials and private-sector representatives to lure an ethane cracker to our state are exciting, appreciated, and could result in a game-changing scenario for West Virginia's economy and our state's plastic industry.

CHARLESTON — Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin presented the Governor’s Commendation for International Market Entry to representatives of 49 West Virginia businesses. The award honors companies that have successfully exported to a new country in the past year.

Gov. Tomblin joined the West Virginia Export Council and the West Virginia Development Office on June 22 to commend the West Virginia companies.“West Virginia businesses are competing in today’s marketplace, whether it is around the corner or around the world,” said Gov. Tomblin. “Our businesses, big and small, are succeeding in expanding their sales horizons to new markets, creating and retaining jobs here at home.”

West Virginia’s exports in 2010 reached a record level of $6.4 billion. The state’s 2010 exports grew by 33 percent over the previous year, outperforming the U.S. export growth rate of 21 percent. West Virginia’s all-time-high performance exceeded its previous record of $5.6 billion, set in 2008.

This award is based on the tradition of displaying the first dollar a business earns. The Governor’s Commendation for International Market Entry frames currency from each new country to which the recipient business began exporting in 2010.

The 49 companies being honored this year matches the previous record set in 2009. Since its inception in 2002, the program has presented a total of 1,123 awards recognizing sales to 148 countries.

Commendations were handed out to:

• Mason County — ICL-IP America Inc., Gallipolis Ferry, Egypt.

Read more: Point Pleasant (WV) Register - Gov Tomblin Honors State’s export businesses Mason County’s ICL IP America Inc named

PlastiVan program visits Hamilton School

Parkersburg News and Sentinel

By MICHAEL ERB

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PARKERSBURG - Hamilton Middle School students Friday learned firsthand the importance of and science behind plastics.

The West Virginia Polymer Alliance Zone presented the PlastiVan Learning Program at the school, explaining the technology, chemistry and processing of plastic products through hands-on learning experiences. The program is conducted through the National Society of Plastics Industries.

WTAP News

Hamilton Middle School students learned all about science and plastics today, with hands on experiments.

Reporter: Shannon Houser
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The Polymer Alliance Zone visited the middle school students and gave a hands on lesson in plastics and science.

Students learned the importance of plastics and how much we use them in our every day lives.