Chemical Manufacturing
Ladies Leading the Way
OLIVIA MILLER TRACY A . TOLER PHOTOGRAPHY
West Virginia ’ s chemical industry has seen many phases since its early beginnings as the nation ’ s leading salt producer in the 1800s . The industry has been transformed by technology and smart manufacturing , a global market and sudden spikes in demand , along with increased diversity in leadership .
Manufacturers have long been drawn to the Mountain State thanks to the 400-million-year-old salt brine deposits that originated well before the formation of the Appalachian Mountains when modern-day West Virginia was covered by the waters of the now-extinct Iapetus Ocean . The salt brines serve many purposes — chlorine is used in water treatments , and the brines contribute to the manufacturing of automobile gasoline and bleach . The abundant water supply , gas reserves and salt brine deposits of the Mountain State have allowed the industry to thrive for generations and established West Virginia as a global chemical and polymer hub .
Today , though , the chemical industry in the state is entering a new phase — with women at the forefront of operations . This story highlights five women who are paving the way for the next generation of chemical engineers in West Virginia and leading the state ’ s industry to new heights .
Introducing the Leading Ladies
Nicole Newell is the first female and first African American plant manager of Chemours Washington Works in Wood County , WV . It is the company ’ s largest advanced performance materials manufacturing site . Originally from New Orleans , LA , Newell joined Chemours in December 2020 and has over 25 years of experience in the chemical industry .
Her role has changed quite a bit since she started . In one of Newell ’ s first assignments as a project engineer , she was making paint for new specialty vehicles , namely Mary Kay ’ s famous pink and John Deere ’ s iconic green . Today , she manages over 500 people and is responsible for managing security and environmental and wastewater permits for the entire industrial complex . Washington Works produces material substrates for semiconductors , lithium-ion batteries and the 5G industrial sectors , helping the U . S . secure a domestic supply of these valuable chemicals .
Ashley Rine is the chemical solutions integrated operations leader for Performance Chemicals and Intermediates ( PCI ) at Che mours based in Belle , WV . A native of Williamstown , WV , her role requires her to have her finger on the pulse of the entire supply chain . PCI has cohorts in Asia Pacific , Europe and Latin America . PCI is North America ’ s sole producer of dimethyl sulfate and glycolic acid , which are used in cleaning and disinfectant makers , pharmaceuticals , oil and gas , fabric care , electronics , water treatment and other specialty markets .
Rine was inspired to be an engineer at an early age . Her father worked at a chemical manufacturing plant , and she would often attend family days , where she was able to take tours of the plant . The manufacturing environment appealed to her , and she found that working in the industry was accessible to women . Rine graduated from West Virginia University in May 2003 and began working at the Belle plant a week and a half later .
58
WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE