[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Page 20653]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    POLYMER INDUSTRY IN WEST VIRGINIA AND POLYMER APPRECIATION WEEK

 Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the 
important role the polymer industry plays in my State of West Virginia. 
As part of Polymer Appreciation Week in the State, Governor Joe Manchin 
and I have invited a small group of international polymer executives to 
West Virginia to showcase investment opportunities available to their 
companies.
  West Virginia's polymer industry plays an important and vital role in 
West Virginia's economy. World renowned companies such as GE Plastics, 
DuPont, Sunoco, and M&G Polymers have chosen to locate here. West 
Virginia's excellent infrastructure, broad range of raw materials, 
highly skilled workforce, and close proximity to 62 percent of the 
United States industrial market, makes West Virginia a key player in 
the global market.
  The Polymer Alliance Zone of West Virginia--PAZ--is the site of the 
highest concentration of production of high technology, speciality and 
engineering polymers in the world. The Mid-Ohio Valley has a long 
history in the production of industrial chemicals, petrochemicals, and 
polymers dating back to the 1940s. The region has a proud manufacturing 
heritage, and today, that expertise and dedication has gained the 
Polymer Alliance Zone national recognition.
  The mission of the Polymer Alliance Zone is to create the most 
favorable business climate in the world for the plastics industry 
through a unique partnership among business, education, and government. 
Since its inception in 1996, the focus of the organization has been the 
support of both new and existing polymer industries. According to 
recent calculations by the West Virginia Development office, PAZ has 
partnered with local, State and private industry to complete 33 
projects that have generated more than $529 million of investments.
  The Polymer Alliance Zone offers great opportunities for companies 
looking to locate in West Virginia. The Mid-Ohio Valley location offers 
easy access to an increasingly global market, and the State's abundant 
resources provide companies with affordable, reliable energy. In 
addition, West Virginia's favorable business climate welcomes and 
supports polymer companies through a number of valuable assistance 
programs. More importantly, it is the people of West Virginia who make 
the Polymer Alliance Zone what it is--a vibrant economy, a growing 
community, and an opportunity that national polymer companies should 
not miss.
  Over the last 9 years, the Polymer Alliance Zone has assisted the 
West Virginia Development Office and our county development authorities 
in creating and retaining over 1,000 jobs in the region. This is a 
large achievement, and in return my State recognizes 9 years of service 
that PAZ has provided to both the polymer industry and to the State of 
West Virginia by celebrating Polymer Appreciation Week.

                          ____________________