By embracing supply chain management within West Virginia ’ s manufacturing industry , the state will not only benefit from industry and revenue growth but will be better able to accomplish the economic diversification it so strongly needs .
JAVIER REYES , PH . D .
The Supply Chain Advantage
By embracing supply chain management within West Virginia ’ s manufacturing industry , the state will not only benefit from industry and revenue growth but will be better able to accomplish the economic diversification it so strongly needs .
There is no question that West Virginia should have a sense of urgency in diversifying its economy . There is also no question that the state is well acquainted with the industries that can help achieve that diversification . Among those industries is manufacturing and , in turn , supply chain management .
Decades ago , the state was well known for its manufacturing capabilities , from chemicals and wood products to glass , iron and aluminum . Now , as West Virginia looks to expand its capabilities beyond extractive industries , manufacturing and supply chain opportunities have presented themselves in the form of major companies locating within the state , as well as the development of advanced technology and knowledge . Technology has helped make supply chain an essential component of efficiently transporting goods and services to where there is demand for them as quickly as possible . All of these elements combined can spark a major manufacturing renaissance in the state .
Mountain State Advantages
According to Dr . John Deskins , director of the West Virginia University ( WVU ) Bureau of Business and Economic Research , it is critical to create investment and policy that make West Virginia attractive to the manufacturing industry . “ Manufacturing and supply chain represent opportunities to bring money into the state ’ s economy and provide good jobs that entice residents to stay in West Virginia and encourage others to move here ,” he says .
What benefits does West Virginia offer ? Human capital . Geographic location . Knowledge . Natural gas abundance . These are all advantages with which the manufacturing and supply chain industries can flourish .
West Virginia ’ s workforce has a reputation for its work ethic . A willing and available workforce is a major strength in the manufacturing and supply chain industries and can easily engage former participants in the extractive industries through renewed enthusiasm and by encouraging retraining . Geography is a two-fold advantage , as West Virginia sits within a day ’ s drive of two-thirds of the U . S . population and rests atop two of the largest gas shales in the world . Knowledge and expertise surrounding manufacturing and supply chain , retraining and other industry components are readily available from sources such as higher education institutions , the West Virginia Manufacturers Association and manufacturers who have made a home in West Virginia .
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