The following export products represent the highest dollar value in West Virginia global shipments during 2020. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from West Virginia.

Figures are shown at the more granular six-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level, for more precise product identification.

1. Coal (non-agglomerated, bituminous) US$1.4 billion (31.6% of West Virginia’s total exports)
2. Spark-ignition reciprocating piston engines: $650 million (14.2%)
3. Polyamides: $157 million (3.4%)
4. Miscellaneous polyethers in primary forms: $128 million (2.8%)
5. Aircraft including engines, parts: $119 million (2.6%)
6. Propylene copolymers: $111 million (2.4%)
7. Aluminum plates: $103 million (2.3%)
8. Saturated polyesters: $75 million (1.6%)
9. Polyacetals: $67 million (1.5%)
10. Supported catalysts with precious metal content: $63 million (1.4%)

West Virginia’s top 10 exports accounted for 63.8% of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

Supported catalysts with precious metal content represent the fastest grower among West Virginia’s top 10 export categories, up by 8.6% from 2019 to 2020. In second place for improving export sales were polyacetals which appreciated 3.1%. The other two gainers were miscellaneous polyethers in primary forms (up 2.4%) and spark-ignition reciprocating piston engines (up 0.9%).

The severest decliners year over year among West Virginia’s top 10 export products were aluminum plates (down -38.7%), non-agglomerated, bituminous coal (down -36.1%) and aircraft including engines and other parts (down -24.7%).

West Virginia earned an overall $1.7 billion surplus exporting and importing products during 2020. That dollar amount reflects a -31.7% year-over-year reduction from $2.4 billion in black ink in 2019.

Another way of saying surplus or deficit is positive or negative net exports. In a nutshell, the term “net exports” quantifies the amount by which foreign spending on a state’s goods or services exceeds or lags that same state’s spending on foreign goods or services.

Below are West Virginia’s top 10 import products highlighting the state’s highest spending on foreign-made goods in 2020.

1. Turbo-jets (higher-thrust): $195 million (6.7% of West Virginia’s total imports)
2. Turbo-jet parts: $157 million (5.4%)
3. Microtomes: $70 million (2.4%)
4. Motor vehicle transmissions: $69 million (2.4%)
5. Electric motor or generator parts: $68 million (2.3%)
6. Spark-ignition internal combustion engines: $64 million (2.2%)
7. Miscellaneous motor vehicle parts: $59 million (2%)
8. Turbo-jets (lower-thrust): $57 million (1.9%)
9. Refined copper wire: $56 million (1.9%)
10. Aluminum alloys (unwrought): $55 million (1.9%)

West Virginia has highly positive net exports in the international trade of coal and large spark-ignition engines. In turn, these cashflows indicate West Virginia’s competitive advantages under those product categories.

The following list shows the top 10 customers that purchased almost four-fifths (79.1%) worth of the total value of products exported from West Virginia during 2020.

1. Canada: $1.3 billion (28.1% of West Virginia’s total exports)
2. India: $425 million (9.3%)
3. China: $397 million (8.7%)
4. Ukraine: $329 million (7.2%)
5. Netherlands: $241 million (5.3%)
6. Brazil: $209 million (4.6%)
7. Japan: $206 million (4.5%)
8. Belgium: $191 million (4.2%)
9. South Korea: $170 million (3.7%)
10. Germany: $160 million (3.5%)

West Virginia’s top trade partners in North America (Canada, Mexico) consumed 30.5% of West Virgina’s exports in 2020, compared to 26.2% in Asia (India, China, Japan, South Korea).

West Virginia Export Companies

Not one West Virginia-based corporation ranks among Fortune 1000 Companies, a list that showcases America’s largest businesses.

According to Zippia, below are examples of larger companies based in West Virginia.

• WesBanco (bank holding company)
• Royal Vendors (vending machines)
• Woodcraft (woodworking tools, other supplies)
• Homer Laughlin China (dinnerware)
• Superior Fibers, LLC (heating/air conditioning/filtration products)
• Allegheny Wood Products (hardwood/lumber goods)

Shown within brackets for each company is a summary of the products or services which each business sells, some of which are international trade-related.