WINFIELD, W.Va. -- The Web site for the Putnam County Development Authority has been getting up to 48,000 hits a month, many from international locations.

"That's a good thing. That means they're looking [at] us," Gary Walton, the authority's director, told Putnam County commissioners Tuesday.

The Web site has drawn interest from Russia, Japan and India, in addition to locations across the nation, Walton said. The authority is able to track the hits from users' IP addresses.

Big draws to the Web site have been a five-minute promotional video titled "This Is Our West Virginia" and sponsored by the state Chamber of Commerce.

Another draw has been a video of Takahiro Iwaki of the Nippon Thermostat of America Corp. speaking about Putnam County in Japanese. Most of the people watching the video have been in Japan, Walton said.

Nippon Thermostat, based in Tokyo, employs eight workers at its plant in Fraziers Bottom to make engine thermostats and other electrical equipment for vehicles.

Video testimonials from representatives from Dixon Hughes and Diamond Electric Manufacturing Corp. are also available on the Web site.

Diamond Electric announced earlier this month it plans to invest $6 million in its Eleanor plant for the production of ignition coils for several Ford engines. The Putnam County plant employs about 120 people and could add up to 55 jobs with the new investment.

Walton said about four out of five people who visit the Web site get there from an Internet search for property or buildings for sale. The authority has tried to put property listings on its site as a draw, he said.

"It's good for us because the more buildings and property you have to show, the better the chance you have to sell," he said.

Walton and three other county and state officials will travel to Denmark on Friday to visit with about 10 companies.

WINFIELD, W.Va. -- The Web site for the Putnam County Development Authority has been getting up to 48,000 hits a month, many from international locations.

"That's a good thing. That means they're looking [at] us," Gary Walton, the authority's director, told Putnam County commissioners Tuesday.

The Web site has drawn interest from Russia, Japan and India, in addition to locations across the nation, Walton said. The authority is able to track the hits from users' IP addresses.

Big draws to the Web site have been a five-minute promotional video titled "This Is Our West Virginia" and sponsored by the state Chamber of Commerce.

Another draw has been a video of Takahiro Iwaki of the Nippon Thermostat of America Corp. speaking about Putnam County in Japanese. Most of the people watching the video have been in Japan, Walton said.

Nippon Thermostat, based in Tokyo, employs eight workers at its plant in Fraziers Bottom to make engine thermostats and other electrical equipment for vehicles.

Video testimonials from representatives from Dixon Hughes and Diamond Electric Manufacturing Corp. are also available on the Web site.

Diamond Electric announced earlier this month it plans to invest $6 million in its Eleanor plant for the production of ignition coils for several Ford engines. The Putnam County plant employs about 120 people and could add up to 55 jobs with the new investment.

Walton said about four out of five people who visit the Web site get there from an Internet search for property or buildings for sale. The authority has tried to put property listings on its site as a draw, he said.

"It's good for us because the more buildings and property you have to show, the better the chance you have to sell," he said.

Walton and three other county and state officials will travel to Denmark on Friday to visit with about 10 companies.

The trip is to promote Putnam County as a place to invest, and some of the companies may be interested in developing of wind farms in the county, Walton said. Denmark is one of the world's leaders in harvesting power from wind technology, he said.

"I've learned to never say never," he said.

At a county commission meeting earlier this month, Harvey Tribble of Manila Ridge addressed commissioners about the possible development of wind farms in Putnam and Mason counties.

Tribble said Appalachian Electric Power put in transmission lines along the Ohio River in the 1960s, and several farmers in the area have expressed interest in leasing their land for the windmills.

Walton said Tuesday that Development Authority members may attend a trade show geared to promoting wind power.

In other business Tuesday, county commissioner Joe Haynes gave condolences to friends and family of Shelby Young, a veteran reporter for the Gazette-Mail Metro Putnam, who died suddenly last week.

Young, 63, died in his home on Oct. 22 from an infection and illness he had been fighting for several weeks.

"Shelby will be missed by the county, and I'm sure by Charleston Newspapers and a lot of friends," Haynes said.

Reach Veronica Nett at veroni...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5113.