RAVENSWOOD, W.Va. — Constellium’s plant in Jackson County has won a statewide award.
The West Virginia Manufacturers Association (WVMA) announced Wednesday that the aluminum plates, created at the Constellium Ravenswood plant and used in NASA’s Artemis II spacecraft, have been selected as the inaugural Coolest Thing Made in West Virginia winner. October is National Manufacturing Month.
“Congratulations to everyone at Constellium for their involvement in the Artemis II spacecraft as the winner of our initial Coolest Thing Made in WV contest,” WVMA President Bill Bissett said. “As the voice for manufacturing in the Mountain State, we are pleased not only with the results of this contest but the great response that we received with both nominations and votes. Additionally, the contest created a lot of interest in manufacturing here at home as well as increased sales of products by some of the companies that were nominated.”
U.S. Senator Jim Justice toured the Constellium Ravenswood plant on Wednesday as well. He emphasized the Mountain State’s involvement in national efforts to go to the stars.
“For years, I’ve said West Virginia is on a figurative rocket ship ride,” Justice said. “Well, right here in Ravenswood, at Constellium we don’t have to imagine it. We can see a true rocket ship ride happening right in front of us. Right here in Ravenswood, you helped build the foundation that carried astronauts around the Moon. You do not have to leave West Virginia to do extraordinary things. The workforce right here is proving that every single day,”
That wasn’t the only space-related news in West Virginia throughout the day. Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced that the state has joined a multi-state pursuit of becoming home to a federal Space Academy.