Media Minute— a weekly dispatch of local, national and world news impacting West Virginia’s manufacturing industry.

West Virginia

DEP seeks federal approval of WV water pollution law change
Charleston Gazette-Mail (subscription)
Rebecca McPhail, president of the Manufacturers Association, said her group was pleased that DEP was seeking federal approval of the language in ...

White House Highlights 'Made In America' Products From Each State
NPR
To choose the companies, the White House "asked for suggestions from governors and members of .... Virginia, National Capital Flag Company (Flags) ... West Virginia, Homer Laughlin China Company (Iconic fiesta line of china).

Justice looks to create federal subsidy for hardwood industry
The Inter-Mountain
“In West Virginia, our trees are cleaning up the atmosphere. ... Justice said in recent years “we've lost all of our furniture manufacturing to China, ...

Northern Panhandle Activity Picking Up in Wake of Shell's Cracker Plans
The Exponent Telegram (press release) (registration)
It's feedstock at Eagle Manufacturing, used in safety cans and cabinets and materials-handling items such as parking stops, barricades, dockplates, ...

Oil and gas officials are confident in the industry's bright future
The Exponent Telegram (press release) (registration)
“The price of natural gas is approximately $3, and West Virginia gas is ... “The growth of our industry will promote the growth of the manufacturing ...

Northern Panhandle Activity Picking Up in Wake of Shell's Cracker Plans
The Exponent Telegram (press release) (registration)
As signs go, Eagle Manufacturing's Joe Eddy sees plenty that tell him the Upper Ohio Valley's economic fortunes are changing. With one ethane ...

RCBI ramps up efforts to help Southern WV
Charleston Gazette-Mail (subscription)
RCBI Director Charlotte Weber said the decline in coal production and population loss has made many West Virginians look for work elsewhere, ...

Officials react to last-place ranking for W.Va.
Marietta Times
Officials react to last-place ranking for W.Va. ... “I think folks will find West Virginia to be a fantastic place to live and to work and to do business. ... years and the controversial right-to-work policy that is currently the subject of litigation.

Trump Hints At New Limits On Steel Imports
West Virginia Public Broadcasting
The Alliance for American Manufacturing, which represents steelmakers and the steelworkers union, supports new restrictions on imports. "If we don't ...

Pre-Apprenticeship Partnership Graduates First Class of Students
Modern Machine Shop
In West Virginia, young people are getting a head start on manufacturing careers thanks to a partnership between the Robert C. Byrd Institute (RCBI) ...

United States

Factories to baby boomers: Please keep working!
Washington Post
According to the National Association of Manufacturers, the industry will need 3.5 million more factory workers over and above what exists today.

House budget blueprint boosts military, cuts food stamps
Charleston Gazette-Mail (subscription)
As proposed by House leaders, tax reform would essentially be deficit neutral, which means cuts to tax rates would be mostly “paid for” by closing ...

The future of the connected car
Manufacturing Global
Automotive companies have their foot on the pedal too. ... There are also regulatory and legal questions, which many manufacturers will need to ...