John Denver said it best when he described West Virginia as “almost heaven.” Nestled in the stunning Blue Ridge Mountains along the winding Shenandoah River, Princeton, West Virginia, feels like home. The small but resilient population of 5,724 exudes pride and grit—on full display today at Conn-Weld Industries, where the AEM Manufacturing Express launched its eleventh week of travel across the United States.
Conn-Weld embodies future opportunity in West Virginia. Young adults aged 18 to 25 are more likely to leave their home state of West Virginia than any other state in America. However, Conn-Weld is working to reverse that trend by investing in the community and creating opportunities for young people. Through partnerships with neighboring institutions, such as MC Tech and Bluefield State, Conn-Weld offers apprenticeships and internships to students as young as 17. By integrating technical opportunities into the high school curriculum, students can kickstart their careers in equipment manufacturing.
Conn-Weld’s commitment to Princeton and the next generation has made it a pillar of the community. Recruiting young workers begins with listening—like when Conn-Weld President Marvin Woodie met Malik Robinson at a local career fair. Malik, a young student interested in marketing, had no experience and no driver’s license. Yet, Conn-Weld believed in Malik’s potential and offered him an internship. President Woodie even personally drove Malik to work every day. Today, Malik is a full-time employee at Conn-Weld, serving as their Social Media Content Creator and Project Coordinator. Malik’s story is special but not unique. In 1985, Conn-Weld founder James D. Connolly extended a similar opportunity to a young Marvin Woodie through an internship.
“To grow our business is to grow our people,” remarked President Marvin Woodie. Growth is central to Conn-Weld’s values. Since Woodie took over in 2020, the company has added more than 150 jobs, making it the third-largest employer in Mercer County, West Virginia. Conn-Weld’s product catalog includes 25 different types of vibrating screens, sieve units, screen baskets, screen media, and hold-down systems. The garage where Jim Connolly originally built his business, along with the original welding machines, still stands on the property. Today, the site spans 500,000 square feet of production space, where Princeton employees shape metal that will be transported worldwide.
The eyes of the world should be on West Virginia, and the pivotal role companies like Conn-Weld play in our communities and economy. Conn-Weld rises to the challenge, investing in local materials and talent, ensuring that the next generation has a place in equipment manufacturing—because equipment manufacturing belongs in America.
