West Virginia’s Key Developments
By Megan Bevins
West Virginia has begun to stick out as a quality site for development. Many companies have recognized the state’s potential and chosen to expand or build projects right on Mountain State soil. These projects not only make use of the state’s possibilities for success but offer locals—often in rural, underserved areas—essential economic benefits.
When completed, these projects will add new, exciting elements to towns across the state, promote sustainable production and help supply citizens with new opportunities that will serve the area for years to come.
Nucor Steel West Virginia began constructing a state-of-the-art steel mill in Apple Grove in 2023. When completed, the facility will be equipped to produce 3 million tons of sheet steel a year. With steel being an especially sustainable material with unlimited recycling capacity, the new mill will supply the state with some of its cleanest building materials.
Johnny Jacobs, vice president and general manager of Nucor Steel West Virginia, says the Apple Grove facility ranks as the company’s all-time largest capital investment.
“Since our groundbreaking on October 20, 2023, structures are rising steadily, equipment is arriving and being installed, and we remain on track to commission the mill by the end of 2026,” Jacobs says.
Jacobs emphasizes the importance of Nucor connecting with its communities, and it plans to do just that in Mason County.
“When Nucor comes to a community, we are there for the long-term,” he says. “Outside of our direct employment and capital investment, a major project like ours will lead to other investments with compounding indirect jobs.”
Nucor Steel West Virginia plans to continue seeking workforce development partnerships to build and train its talent. Nucor also plans to conduct outreach efforts in the community and its school system. Already contributing over 550 hours of community service events as well as 20 educational and STEM programs around Mason County, the company will stand as a welcome addition to Apple Grove.
Renewable resource efforts continue in the energy sector with Berkshire-Hathaway Energy (BHE) Renewables’ new energy microgrid in Ravenswood. This development will be used to power another new BHE Renewables project: a TIMET titanium melt facility. With a 106-megawatt solar array and 50-megawatt battery energy storage system, the microgrid will serve 70% of the facility’s expected energy demand.
BHE Renewables decided to journey to the Mountain State when Senator Glenn Jeffries reached out to the company with an invitation to explore its opportunities, where it saw the state’s development potential and decided to set ground in Ravenswood. Since the announcement of the microgrid project, BHE Renewables and the BHER Foundation have invested more than $1 million in local schools as well as nonprofits and community events.
John Guy, senior vice president of renewable development at BHE Renewables, says the microgrid will be constructed in three phases, adjacent to the needs of the TIMET facility. The three phases will begin respectively in 2025, 2026 and 2027. Construction of the microgrid is progressing, and solar panels will likely be installed beginning in spring this year.
“The microgrid at Ravenswood demonstrates that renewable energy can be a foundation for job creation and economic revitalization,” Guy says.
In May 2023, Form Energy began work on Form Factory 1, a high-volume battery manufacturing facility, the first of the company’s kind. The facility will work to meet the increasing demand for energy in a safe and sustainable way by producing batteries that use low-cost water, iron and air as materials. Form Factory 1 is located in Weirton on the site of the former Weirton Steel Mill.
A year after the groundbreaking of Form Factory 1, its construction was complete, and in September 2024 the company began trial production of the iron-air batteries. Production and commercial deployment will begin later this year. Form Energy estimates that by 2028, Form Factory 1 will have expanded to more than 1 million square feet, 750 employees and a production capacity of at least 500 megawatts of batteries per year.
Form Energy chose to build the facility in Weirton to help restore its economic vitality. Not only has Form Factory 1 already employed 350 full-time employees, but the project also hired hundreds of workers during its initial construction and current expansion. Through working with local educational institutions, Form Energy hopes to continue training future employees in energy manufacturing.
“We are excited to continue demonstrating that American manufacturing for innovative energy technology is alive and well right here in the industrial heartland of West Virginia and the Ohio Valley,” says Sarah Bray, vice president of communications and corporate affairs.
Manufacturing company US Gearworks, LLC, will soon introduce a new facility in Logan County. With Logan County being chosen as the site for the new project, many jobs are created both through the construction of the facility and its operations once it is functional. This facility will house the manufacturing of industrial gears and fabricated parts that are essential for many different industries.
Todd Colegrove, vice president of operations, says the Gearworks facility is still in its construction phase but that the project is moving along according to plan and the company has procured several contracts for sales in West Virginia. Construction on the facility is estimated to be completed in August of 2025, and operations are projected to begin in December of 2025.
Gearworks will partner with local vocational schools as well as the Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center (MAMC) to offer educational resources,
such as a collaborative apprenticeship program with MAMC that will help students receive special training and certifications.
Expansions
Stone wool insulation company ROCKWOOL began operations at a new facility in Ranson in July 2021, which has already been recognized as 2024’s ROCKWOOL Factory of the Year. The company received a $203 million capital investment, which it continues to utilize in both the facility and Ranson community.
ROCKWOOL has worked hard to ensure sustainable practices in its wool production. Adopting the International Chamber of Commerce’s Business Charter for Sustainable Development, it requires suppliers to comply with all environmental and manufacturing laws. The product itself, stone wool, can be recycled multiple times as well.
“Our Ranson, WV, facility meets and exceeds environmental protection standards set by governments and regulators,” Paul Espinosa, public affairs manager for ROCKWOOL North America, says. “In fact, at our request, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection has reduced our permitted emissions and has now classified our Ranson facility as a minor air emission source.”
The ROCKWOOL facility currently hosts 150 employees who collectively receive a salary of more than $10 million. Espinosa says that ROCKWOOL has also paid over $3 million in property taxes to Jefferson County and around $400,000 in business and occupation taxes to the City of Ranson. On top of this, the company has donated its wool to building and renovating projects for the Jefferson County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Habitat for Humanity, the Jefferson County Fair, local fire departments and the Jefferson County 4-H Leaders Association.
Gestamp, a metal automotive component manufacturing company, recently announced it will be expanding its South Charleston facility to include the manufacturing of parts for electric vehicles.
The company invested $69 million into the West Virginia facility for the expansion in 2023, and approximately 130 new jobs have been created so far thanks to these recent investments.
“We anticipate continued growth in our team and facility with future projects and ongoing success,” Federico Mattassini, plant director, says.
Mattassini says as far as the timeline for the expansion is concerned, everything is going according to plan. The Gestamp West Virginia facility is currently undergoing construction, and new operational phases are being implemented as well. Mattassini says the expansions are 85% complete.
“Our proactive approach has paved the way for new business projects and initiatives, which are scheduled to continue through 2027,” Mattassini says.
In addition to creating new jobs in the area, Gestamp West Virginia collaborates with local schools and colleges to provide students with opportunities to get involved with the company. The company also works hard to provide its employees
with the benefits and projects they deserve.
“During our recent expansion in 2023, our purchasing team held a virtual supply chain expo featuring over 150 local suppliers to meet our needs for this massive project,” Mattassini says. “As a result, we utilized 10 local vendors and suppliers, spending $1.5 million with these local organizations.”
