A Region Rich in Resources—and Ready to Rise
Appalachia has unique assets that make it competitive for manufacturing the products and technologies needed for new and growing markets. With the right federal resources, the Ohio River Valley of Appalachia, better known as coal country, can be transformed into a hub for advanced manufacturing and a destination spot for companies moving back to America. In the process, we can grow sustainable, living-wage manufacturing jobs. With the right approach, we could even create new opportunities for Appalachian farmers in growing markets for industrial hemp and bioplastics.
Strategic Advantages
America is competing in changing international markets. Appalachia is well-positioned for new economic development in these markets due to several existing assets and resources:
Shuttered coal plants with robust connections to the grid that can be transformed into eco-industrial parks;
A central location to large consumer markets;
Easy access to more efficient freight rail and waterway transportation networks;
A long history of manufacturing in critical product markets (i.e., steel, automotive industry, plastics);
Highly skilled manufacturing and trades workers; and
Significant levels of waste residue from the mining and burning of coal that contain reusable minerals and materials essential to today’s products.
Upcoming events
Thursday, June 26th @ Noon
Make it in Appalachia: Green Building Supply Chain Potential
Report Coming June 2025
Thursday, July 31st @ 11:30 am
A Wind-Win: Appalachia’s Potential in the wind turbine supply chain
Report Coming July 2025
Thursday, October 16 @ 11 am
Summit for Appalachian Manufacturing Strategy
Past event materials & resources
Make it in Appalachia, Grow it in Appalachia: The Potential for Hemp and Bioplastics in Appalachia
View Event Recording
Download Bioplastics Report
Download Industrial Hemp Report
Go to Story Map
Make it in Appalachia: Transforming Shuttered Coal Plants into Modern Manufacturing Hubs
Download the Report
Story Map Research Tool
Our Make-it-in-Appalachia series of reports explores the following questions:
- What are the new products of the evolving economy for which Appalachia can realistically become a hub?
- How do we ensure that these emerging markets benefit workers and the community rather than extract wealth and leave behind damaged lands and poverty in their wake?
- How do we get from where we are to where we need to go, in order to take advantage of new opportunities in growing markets and transform Appalachia into a hub for sustainable manufacturing, while building community and worker-centered supply chains?
