Letter to John Kasich, Governor of Ohio, and Earl Tomblin, Governor of West Virginia- Ormet Situation

Letter

Dear Governors Kasich and Tomblin,

In recent years, the economy of the Ohio Valley has suffered tremendously. The Ormet facility in Hannibal, Ohio has been vital to the Valley's economy for decades, employing hundreds of workers. Many of these employees reside on both sides of the Ohio River in Ohio and West Virginia; leaving Ormet as the leading private employer in the region.

The trend of plants closing and jobs leaving negatively affects the community as a whole. The announcement last week that the Ormet plans to shutter their Hannibal operations is deeply troubling. If these jobs are allowed to disappear, it will have a lasting negative impact on our states, and that is unacceptable. Since 1956, Ormet has been in production, having employed thousands of Ohioans and West Virginians. Understandably, they have faced tough aluminum market conditions in recent years. However, the company was formalizing plans that, their leadership team believes, would make the company competitive by utilizing natural gas reserves which the facility sits upon. This would provide the facility with self-sufficiency, thus reducing their significant electricity costs.

Communities, families, and surrounding area businesses are all negatively affected when decisions and negotiations drag on or fail such as last week's announcement. A solution must be found that ensures that operations continue; businesses and residences are not put in jeopardy; but most importantly, the hardworking men and women of Ormet continue to have a job in these tough economic times.

We cannot accept this announcement nor should anyone else; and would request a meeting with representatives from your offices, each state's economic development agencies, and Ormet's leadership team. Much is at stake for Ohio and West Virginia. We stand eager and ready to help.

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