Industries

Webster County’s economy includes a blend of traditional manufacturing and industrial jobs with a growing segment of high-tech and entrepreneurial businesses.

Holding true to its roots, the area’s traditional coal and timber industries remain a vital part of the Webster County economy today.

• Arch Coal Group and Brooks Run Mining division of Alpha Natural Resources employ hundreds of people in both deep and surface mines.
• In addition to this direct employment, several subcontractors provide various services including trucking, heavy equipment operation and more.  With over 3 billion tons of recoverable reserves still underground in Webster County, mining will continue to play a major role in our future.
• This area is also ideal for growth of high-quality Appalachian hardwoods.  The logging and wood processing industries have long been major contributors to the local economy.
• The largest area employer in wood processing is the Jim C. Hamer Company.

Cutting-edge communications infrastructure is helping Webster County diversify and add to its traditional sectors

• Although Webster County has no interstate highway within our borders, the “information highway” can be directly accessed from here.  A high-speed digital fiber network offers the ability to locate businesses dependent on this technology here.
• The area is also home to a variety of “creative class” entrepreneurs.  Artists, crafters, musicians, writers and others have found Webster County to be the perfect place to get their creative talents flowing.  Some examples of these creative talents can be seen at businesses including Cherry Falls Pottery and Prose and Photos.

Tourism, with a long history in Webster County, remains a great area of opportunity  

• With scenic mountain vistas, pure sparkling streams and thousands of acres of public land, tourism has been and remains another key economic driver.  Many local retail outlets cater to visitors to the area and due to the proximity to major population centers, opportunities abound for entrepreneurs in the area.
• Jerry Run Summer Theater and The Custard Stand, famous for its widely distributed hot dog chili, are just two examples of such enterprises.