Construction Set To Begin On New Federal Prison In Southern W.Va.

The construction of a new federal prison in southern West Virginia got the final go-ahead recently. The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) issued the final Record of Decision for the medium-security facility to be built in the Indian Ridge Industrial Park near the McDowell County-Wyoming County line, according to U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W. Va.

Construction of the 1,280-bed facility is expected to begin in the spring and will infuse $35 million annually into the local economy and create up to 330 jobs.The prison will set in a new 500-acre industrial park, which was carved out a series of deep valleys edged by looming mountain tops. Today those valleys have been filled, creating a huge stretch of flat, mountain-top land awaiting the development of the prison and other businesses, as well as the interchange for the Coalfields Expressway and the King Coal Highway.

By-products of the prison will include highway construction, new infrastructure, service industry jobs, new housing and improvements to the education system.

Northern Panhandle Firm Leader In Advanced Materials R&D

Researchers and engineers at an Ohio County laboratory have developed a new aluminum and fiber composite that is light enough to cut the weight of a bicycle frame by half but strong enough, company officials say, to serve as a fuel tank for a rocket. Touchstone Research Laboratory in Triadelphia, W.Va. produces a composite called MetPreg, which is three times stronger than pure aluminum. Aluminum oxide fibers that are thinner than a human hair are impregnated into the aluminum to make up half of the composite's mix, said Touchstone co-owner Brian Joseph.

Touchstone has several government contracts to produce MetPreg products, like mortar tubes, rocket motor casings and rocket fuel tanks, said the company's senior program manager, Brian Gordon. Joseph believes that MetPreg could help scientists develop a satisfactory way of carrying hydrogen fuel, saying that MetPreg can withstand more pressure than conventional fuel tank materials.

Touchstone was included in R&D magazine's "R&D 100" awards for 2005, which is part of the September issue. The company also won the award last year for its carbon foam composite, a fireproof product made from West Virginia coal that can be used in ships, airplanes, fuel cells and panic rooms.

Transformation Of Downtown Huntington Continues

Several buildings in downtown Huntington are about ready to undergo transformations. First, Swiss Capital Group has purchased The St. James building at 401 10th St. from local businessman John Hankins for $6.5 million and will convert 53 of the building’s apartments into condominiums, Hankins announced Friday afternoon.

Hankins also said he will begin within 30 days converting The Frederick Building back into a hotel and outfitting the old Stone & Thomas and M.D. Angel buildings with loft apartments.

The projects represent a $20 million investment that will add at least 200 families to downtown Huntington, Hankins predicted.

Hankins said the mixed commercial-entertainment complex Pullman Square was a “catalyst” that attracted the development.

State Loan To Help Eastern Panhandle Company Expand, Create 123 Additional Jobs

An Eastern Panhandle business is nearing approval of a $3.6 million state loan. The loan will help AB&C Group Inc. expand operations in Jefferson County, W.Va. and ultimately allow the company to employ 123 more people. Final approval of the loan by the West Virginia Economic Development Authority could come next month.

The announcement comes on the heels of a Jefferson County Development Authority decision to sell approximately 10 acres in Burr Business Park off W.Va. 9 to AB&C, which is expected to purchase a neighboring, 11-acre site in Bardane Industrial Park with the loan.

Two existing warehouses formerly home to TST/Impreso on the Bardane Industrial Park site, will immediately increase AB&C's available space by 26,000 square feet, according to a news release from Manchin's office. A 40,000-square-foot mezzanine will be added to provide office space, a call center, 10 to 12 shipping bays, additional conveyor equipment and barcode scanning capabilities.

The loan and expansion are expected to allow the company to increase employment to a total of 547 after three years. The company currently employs 424 people at a former Dixie-Narco building in Ranson, making it one the county's top 10 private employers.

New Jet Manufacturer Clears Final FAA Threshold

Sino Swearingen Aircraft Corp. announced it has been issued a key approval by the Federal Aviation Administration for its new small business jet and expects to deliver planes to customers later this year.

"This spectacular announcement is the final threshold before receiving the FAA type certification and virtually guarantees Sino Swearingen the certification this year for the new SJ30-2, the world's fastest and longest-range light business jet," the company said in a prepared statement. Sino Swear-ingen has said it expects to achieve the final regulatory hurdle -- receipt of FAA type certification -- and begin delivering planes later this year.

About 140 Sino Swearingen employees are building fuselages and the main wings for the jet at a plant in the John D. Rockefeller IV Science and Technology Center in Martinsburg.
The company said believes it is the first time since the 1960s that a new company with a new twin jet corporate aircraft has received final type inspection authorizations from the FAA. The company said that during the certification flight test program, the FAA approved 13 blocks of testing.

"Completion of these critical type inspection authorizations is extremely significant as they provided full exploration of all aspects of flying and operating the SJ30-2 by Sino Swearingen Aircraft Corp. factory and FAA engineering test pilots," the company said. "Three high-performance SJ30-2s have been in extensive flight testing and have run the gauntlet of FAA tests," the company said. "The SJ30-2 has consistently shown complete adherence and total compliance to all FAA regulations."

Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., said in a prepared statement, "Achieving a final type inspection authorization by the Federal Aviation Administration is an amazing accomplishment and puts Sino Swearingen just one step away from bringing the SJ30-2 to the commercial market," Rockefeller said.

Huntington To Keep 400 Jobs

Hundreds of jobs have been retained in the Huntington area, according to an announcement August 2 from Gov. Joe Manchin’s office. The Govenor’s office announced that Applied Card Systems has agreed to stay in Huntington for at least another year despite earlier concerns that the company might close this week. The Huntington call center employs 400 people. Uncertainty about Applied Card’s future in Huntington has persisted since state Attorney General Darrell McGraw filed a lawsuit in March 2004 alleging Applied Card and parent company Cross Country Bank engaged in unfair business practices. That action was settled this summer for $1.5 million. In May, Applied Card announced the company would renew its lease in the Arch Coal Facility for another year.