Gone are the days of a booming coal industry, where entire towns were beholden to the mines. It’s not entirely dead, of course — in the past few years there has been a slight uptick in coal employment as international demand has surged.
As a result, many people in central Appalachia have been looking for the next big industry that could create jobs and drive long-lasting economic growth. Based on their research, one policy group thinks the answer lies in green manufacturing.
The research from ReImagine Appalachia found that many Ohio Valley area counties already have more manufacturing jobs than the national average for making things out of wood, metal and plastic. Conversely, the region is weaker in products like textiles.
They believe this uniquely positions the region to be a leader in newer, greener manufacturing processes like creating plastics that are intended for multiple uses.
Researcher Bikash Gupta said knowing the region’s strengths and weaknesses can inform future manufacturing developments.