Barbour County is located in premier hardwood country within ½ days drive of 60% of the population of the United States. We have a qualified work force and competitive wages. The Belington Industrial Park is one of seven sites in the U. S. that can take a log and see it thru to a finished product.

Barbour County is a charter member of the Hardwood Alliance Zone (HAZ), an organization of seven County Development Authorities that have joined together to promote the manufacture of secondary wood products in West Virginia.

The West Virginia Hardwood Alliance Zone offers a cost-competitive manufacturing infrastructure.  The region also offers the following:

• One of the lowest industrial electricity costs in the US
• Competitive costs for other types of utilities
• Labor wage rates that range from 10% to 20% below US average wage rates for most occupational categories applicable to wood manufacturing businesses
• Established industrial parks within each county of the West Virginia Hardwood Alliance Zone
• Well-trained and productive existing workforce
• Technical and training support from the West Virginia University Appalachian Hardwood Center and the West Virginia Wood Technology Center
• Advanced telecommunications access to many locations
• Established local and regional vendor services supporting large manufacturing operations