Our economy and the business world are changing, and companies are adapting in their own way.
I have been in contact with leadership at both Steel of West Virginia and Amazon. Each is adjusting to new market realities. Steel of West Virginia is downsizing their melt plant while investing $30 million to modernize their rolling mills, and Amazon is restructuring how it serves customers nationwide.
These changes are not happening because of where they are located. They are happening because of market dynamics. The foundations that make this city a great place to do business remain the same: dependable infrastructure, affordable costs, and people who take ownership of their work. Operating here means lower energy, labor, and real estate costs than most of the country.
Marshall University’s new Institute for Cyber Security and Innovation District show that Huntington can produce the kind of talent the modern economy demands, adaptable and detail oriented people who take pride in doing things right. And investments like Nucor’s show that we still produce people who build with skill, grit, and pride.
Change is constant. What matters is how we meet it, and in Huntington, we are meeting it head on.