Inspiring: List shows state’s diversity of products
Trending
West Virginia's Manufacturing Association supports the many different businesses and individuals in the state who make the things all the rest of us use — here and across the country, in your home and on our way back to the moon.
This year's effort by the association to find the coolest thing made in West Virginia has been narrowed down to five, with Ravenswood's Constellium among them. The company's high-performance aluminum alloys are used in the launch vehicles and spacecraft used by astronauts in the Artemis program.
Cool may be an understatement.
But others among the top five vote-getters out of the 3,200 votes cast range from a 13-year-old in Sutton who makes 3D printed critters for sale at fairs and festivals, to a 172-year-old tool manufacturing company in Warwood. There's also a small-batch coffee roaster in Renick and a deer repellent maker in Charleston.
"We want to thank everyone who cast a vote for their favorite product made here at home," Bill Bissett, president of the association, said. "I think these top 5 products show the diversity of manufacturing in the Mountain State and it will be interesting to see who comes in first place."
That decision will be made Oct. 2. But in the meantime, it is important for West Virginians to be able to see the range and significance of what we make here.
Our economy does not have a singular focus (nor should lawmakers and economic development professionals). We can do anything here. So, while we congratulate those who earned enough votes to be considered among the coolest, we hope their success inspires others to aim for next year's list.