A coal-based product created more than two decades ago right here in Ohio County — Touchstone Research Laboratory’s C-FOAM — continues to flourish in how it’s being used and applications for which it has potential future use. The success of Touchstone with products such as this and others created in the Triadelphia facility shows that cutting-edge innovation continues to happen right here in our backyard.

For Touchstone CEO Brian Joseph, the continued success of his company and its products — and, most importantly, the success of his engineers and technicians that are working every day to help fuel our region’s resurgence — should help to build a bigger tech presence in our region.

“We often think we have to go to certain places to do certain things, and I am of the view growing in recent years that that is just not important,” he said. “What is important is getting to scale on the number of tech jobs you have, because it will build upon itself.”

As they say, success breeds success.

And success is something Touchstone has become accustomed to. From C-FOAM to MetPreg and other innovations, the company continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible.

Consider: C-FOAM, now owned by Consol Energy, started as a way to better insulate and fireproof ships. We can recall vividly the late U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd watching as Joseph and others showed how C-FOAM would not burn. But now that product has taken on several new lives and been adapted to help build aircraft, as a launch pad for rockets and much more. Consol also purchased Touchstone’s airplane parts division, Touchstone Advanced Composites, at the end of last year and is ramping up efforts in that market.

“You’re going to see (Consol) make airplane parts here on a pretty big scale, and invent their own stuff,” Joseph said, noting Consol will leave production in Triadelphia. “… I still work with them, and support them. They’re still right here. We work together on things and support each other.”

That’s excellent — and keeps dozens of high-tech professionals coming to our region.

Joseph and his staff at Touchstone has set such a good example for more than 30 years of how high-tech can work in the Ohio Valley. It’s a testament to his brilliant mind — and the hard work and dedication of his employees. It is this outside-the-box thinking that will help our region find its future.