December 2011
Exports Support Jobs for West Virginia's Workers
Export-supported jobs linked to manufacturing account for an estimated 3.1 percent of West Virginia's total private-sector employment. Over one-sixth (18.1 percent) of all manufacturing workers in West Virginia depend on exports for their jobs (2009 data latest available).
Exports Sustain Hundreds of West Virginia Businesses
A total of 741 companies exported from West Virginia locations in 2009. Of those, 576 (78 percent) were small and medium-sized enterprises with fewer than 500 employees.
Small and medium-sized firms generated over one-quarter (27 percent) of West Virginia's total exports of merchandise in 2009.
Foreign Investment Creates Jobs in West Virginia
In 2009, foreign-controlled companies employed 22,700 West Virginia workers. Major sources of foreign investment in West Virginia in 2009 included the United Kingdom, France, Japan, and Germany.
Foreign investment in West Virginia was responsible for 4.0 percent of the state's total private-industry employment in 2009.
West Virginia Depends on World Markets
West Virginia's export shipments of merchandise in 2010 totaled $6.4 billion.
The state's largest market was Canada. West Virginia posted merchandise exports of $1.5 billion to Canada in 2010, 23 percent of the state’s total merchandise exports. Canada was followed by Japan ($408 million), Brazil ($400 million), the Netherlands ($362 million), and China ($360 million).
The state's largest merchandise export category is mining, which accounted for $2.8 billion of West Virginia's total merchandise exports in 2010. Other top merchandise exports are chemicals manufactures ($1.6 billion), transportation equipment ($629 million), machinery manufactures ($532 million), and primary metals manufactures ($231 million).
West Virginia's Metropolitan Exports
In 2009, the metropolitan area of Charleston exported $1.4 billion in merchandise, 43.2 percent of West Virginia's total merchandise exports. Several major metropolitan area exporters included some counties in West Virginia. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria (including the District of Columbia and some parts of Maryland, and Virginia) exported $9.2 billion, while Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna (including some parts of Ohio) exported $705 million, Huntington-Ashland (including some parts of Kentucky and Ohio) exported $323 million, Hagerstown-Martinsburg (including some parts of Maryland) exported $225 million, Winchester (including some parts of Virginia) exported $169 million and Weirton-Steubenville (including some parts of Ohio) exported $110 million in merchandise in 2009.
Exports Support Jobs
Note: Export-related employment data shown do not include manufacturing and non-manufacturing jobs involved in the export of non-manufactured goods, such as farm products, minerals, and services sold to foreign buyers. Indirect exports exclude imported items. The complete 2009 export-related employment series is available on our Export Related Jobs pages. Additional information on methodology used in the export-related employment series can be found in the U.S. Census Bureau's publication Exports from Manufacturing Establishments: 2009.
Source: State Export-Related Employment Project, International Trade Administration and Bureau of the Census.
Exports Sustain Businesses
Source: International Trade Administration and Bureau of the Census, Foreign Trade Division: Exporter Database.
Foreign Investment
Note: All figures exclude employment in banks affiliated with foreign companies.
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Trade with World Markets
Source: Revised Origin of Movement State Export Series, Bureau of the Census, Foreign Trade Division.
Caution: The Origin of Movement series allocates exports to states based on transportation origin, i.e., the state from which goods began their journey to the port (or other point) of exit from the United States. The transportation origin of exports is not always the same as the location where the goods were produced. Consequently, conclusions about "export production" in a state should not be made solely on the basis of the Origin of Movement state export figures.
Metropolitan Exports
Source: International Trade Administration and Bureau of the Census, Foreign Trade Division: Metropolitan Export Series.
Caution: The Origin of Movement zip-based series allocates exports to metropolitan areas based on transportation origin, i.e., the metropolitan area from which goods began their journey to the port (or other point) of exit from the United States. The transportation origin of exports is not always the same as the location where the goods were produced. Consequently, conclusions about "export production" in a metropolitan area should not be made solely on the basis of the Origin of Movement zip-based export figures.
Prepared by the Office of Trade and Industry Information, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.
Data updated December 5, 2011.
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