Exports reach record levels again

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin says the state reached a record amount of exports in 2012 marking the third straight year. 

Products worth $11.3 billion dollars left the state to overseas buyers. That was up more than $2 billion dollars from the previous year.

Coal showed the most growth in exports at 40 percent. The most coal from the Mountain State went to the Netherlands at $801 million followed by Italy, India and China.

Plastics is the state’s second largest export. It exceeded $1 billion for the second straight year.

“Last year, West Virginia’s exports grew by 25 percent, surpassing the national growth rate of 4.6 percent,” Gov. Tomblin said in a prepared statement. “Exports are a valuable contributor to our state’s economic growth and stability. While coal continues to be our traditional strength, our top exports also included manufactured products such as plastics, chemicals, machinery and components for medical, automotive and aerospace applications.”