WV Commerce Secretary holds "Listening Tour" with Wood County businesses

West Virginia's commerce secretary is in the midst of a two-day "Listening Tour" of Wood County.

Cabinet Secretary for the Department of Commerce Edward Gaunch Wednesday toured three local manufacturers, including Wincore Windows and Doors, just outside Parkersburg.

The glass and decorative glass products manufacturer has 400 employees, and has been located on route 47 for more than a decade.

Secretary Gaunch says he wants to help bring new manufacturing to the Mountain State, while helping businesses like Wincore stay in the area.

"A good part of what I'm interested in is, thanking our existing industry, people who are here, large and small alike, and saying, 'what can we do to help you'?," Gaunch said Wednesday, after a one-hour tour of Wincore's manufacturing facilities, "I want to make sure they know the commerce and development office is here to make business work, and to get government out of the way as much as possible.">

Wincore is looking to expand in Wood County, but plans to stay at its current location for the time being. The company also has a plant in Georgia.

In addition to Wincore, the secretary and his staff visited Kreinik Manufacturing, and Gaskets, Packing and Seals.

The travel Thursday to the Mister Bee potato chip plant.