Morrisey Commits $50M To Help Companies Grow, Create New W.Va. Jobs

The number of jobs in West Virginia is currently shrinking. But a new economic development initiative from the governor’s office seeks to expand both employment opportunities and labor participation in the state.

Gov. Patrick Morrisey held a press conference at his Charleston office Thursday to announce a new effort called “Grow West Virginia.” Morrisey described the project as an administration-wide effort to reduce taxes, bolster professional education, facilitate job growth and speed up business permitting and development.

For Morrisey, key to achieving that goal is another new project announced as part of Grow West Virginia: the West Virginia Jobs Initiative. Under the initiative, Morrisey said the state government plans to use $50 million in discretionary state funds for “targeted investments” for economic development.

That begins with a $400,000 investment in the Moorefield facility of Mettler Packaging, which Morrisey announced Thursday. The international company manufactures paper and plastic packaging materials, and in 2022 established the Hardy County production plant, according to its LinkedIn page.

The investment would add 50 new jobs to the 120 positions already in place at the production plant, according to Morrisey’s office.

Morrisey said the West Virginia Jobs Initiative is supported through “resources provided to the executive.” He did not specify a specific source of funding for the effort, and a media representative for the governor’s office did not immediately return an email request for clarification.

However, the West Virginia Legislature allots the governor’s office a pool of funds each year for the Governor’s Civil Contingent Fund, which Morrisey can use for projects at his discretion.

Morrisey said he hopes a renewed focus on business development would result in job growth in the state.

He pointed to a “backyard brawl” effort he announced during his inauguration in January. That effort marks his administration’s priority of making West Virginia more economically competitive for new businesses than neighboring states.

“We’ve been focusing very aggressively on economic development. It’s meant to be different than what was in the past, but the goal is still the same,” Morrisey said. “We want to attract as many jobs to the state as possible and retain our strength as well.”

Julian Löhnertz, general manager for Mettler Packaging’s Moorefield production plant, said during the press conference that he was grateful for the governor’s support. He said the plant has grown, and that the company needs to expand its current facility to meet customer demand — and expand job growth.

“We try to get better as a company,” Löhnertz said. “At the end of the day, that will benefit the company, the state and all the people of West Virginia.”

Löhnertz said the company aims to use its existing Moorefield building as a “highly automated warehouse,” and to expand current facilities to open “even more production lines” and “increase our market share here in the U.S.”

He added that the state’s “business-friendly approach” has made efforts like these more possible.

“We chose West Virginia,” Löhnertz added. “I can say for sure: We do not regret it at all.”