Commemorative plaques are displayed at the annual Governor’s Export Awards ceremony in Charleston, W.Va., on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. A total of 130 awards were presented to 34 West Virginia companies showcasing the global competitiveness of Mountain State products and services.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A total of 34 West Virginia companies were recognized for expanding into new international markets at the annual Governor’s Export Awards ceremony held Tuesday. Seven of the honored businesses were first-time recipients of the award.
The Governor’s Export Award is presented to companies that made their first export sale to a new country in the previous calendar year. In total, 34 West Virginia businesses were recognized, and 130 awards featuring 75 countries were given, showcasing the global competitiveness of West Virginia products and services.
“Entering the global marketplace takes immense courage, but it unlocks unmatched opportunities for our state’s businesses and innovators,” said Matt Herridge, Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Commerce. “These awards honor the employers who refused to let geographic boundaries limit their growth. By taking that bold leap into international trade, they are proving that West Virginia products can compete and win on any stage.”
The 2026 Governor’s Export Award recipients include:
- Baron Blakeslee (Wood County) — Manufacturer of vapor degreasers and industrial cleaning systems.
- Blenko Glass Co. Inc. (Cabell County) — Manufacturer of handcrafted functional and decorative glassware and tableware.
- Caperton Furnitureworks LLC (Morgan County) — Manufacturer of custom wood furniture.
- Christopher Peacock (Hardy County) — Manufacturer of high-quality handcrafted cabinetry for kitchens, bars, pantries, china rooms and bathrooms.
- Cooper Industries (Jackson County) — Manufacturer of industrial blowers and vacuum pumps for continuous-duty air and gas handling applications.
- Cyclops Industries Inc. (Kanawha County) — Manufacturer of Cyclops safety sight glass.
- Die Rise Kill LLC (Kanawha County) — Designer and manufacturer of special effects, latex masks, props and themed attraction designs.
- Direct Online Marketing (Ohio County) — Provider of digital marketing and advertising services.
- Dura-Trac Flooring (Jefferson County) — Manufacturer of elevated and laydown modular flooring systems for events, stadiums, construction and rapid deployment.
- Echo-Lit (Kanawha County) — Seller of educational and inspirational classroom artwork.
- ECS Brands (Mercer County) — Producer of personal and health care products.
- Greenbrier Smokeless Coal Mining LLC (Greenbrier County) — Producer of mid-volatility metallurgical coal for steel manufacturing applications.
- Highland Industries (Fayette County) — Manufacturer of shuttle cars used in underground mining.
- Huntington Drum Co. (Cabell County) — Producer of steel and plastic drums, IBC totes and fire extinguisher containers.
- Industrial Bolting Technologies Inc. (Kanawha County) — Manufacturer of hydraulic torque tools.
- Intercontinental Export Import Inc. (Wood County) — Manufacturer of plastic resins and off-grade/off-spec polymers in the form of regrinds, lumps, chunks, fibers and pellets.
- J.H. Fletcher & Co. (Cabell County) — Manufacturer of custom underground roof bolting machines for the mining industry.
- J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works (Kanawha County) — Manufacturer of salt, spice blends and caramel sauce.
- Kanawha Scales and Systems (Putnam County) — Manufacturer of automated filling equipment, weighing and industrial control systems.
- Lakota Software Solutions Inc. (Marion County) — Developer of biometric software applications and SDKs for identification systems.
- Little Plants (Summers County) — Producer and distributor of over 20 varieties of boxwood.
- Marble King Inc. (Tyler County) — Manufacturer of glass marbles for toys, decorative, flooring and industrial uses.
- Matheny Motor Truck Co. (Wood County) — Manufacturer of heavy-duty commercial truck and fire truck parts and components.
- Metropolitan Executive Dogs (Jefferson County) — Provider of dog training services and breeder of German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois.
- Mountain State K9 (Hancock County) — Provider of specialized tools and equipment for police, military and working K9 units.
- Mull Group (Ohio County) — Producer of galvanized steel strip and custom manufacturing equipment for engineering, construction, oil and gas.
- ND Paper (Marion County) — Manufacturer of pulp, paper, containerboard and graphic paper.
- PureTech Scientific LLC (Kanawha County) — Manufacturer of glycolic acid and glycolic acid derivatives.
- SMR Technologies (Nicholas County) — Manufacturer of de-icing equipment for general aviation aircraft.
- Stockmeier Urethanes (Harrison County) — Manufacturer of polyurethanes for running tracks.
- Tabletop Stronghold LLC (Kanawha County) — Designer of display cases for tabletop miniature games, using magnetic elements to keep delicate models secure during transport.
- TROY Group (Ohio County) — Supplier of MICR toner for checks and government banking, special inks and toners, modified printers, paper and banking software systems.
- WV Great Barrel Co. LLC (Greenbrier County) — Manufacturer of premium new American white oak barrels for use in the aging and storage of distilled spirits, wine, beer and other beverages.
- Zeeospheres Ceramics LLC (Putnam County) — Manufacturer of ceramic microspheres for industrial and specialty applications.
For more information on West Virginia’s export assistance programs, visit https://westvirginia.gov/divisions/international-development/exporting-assistance/.