The Koppers plant was built on a 33-acre site in Follansbee along the Ohio River and south of the Wheeling Steel coke plant. Throughout its history the facility has changed ownership several times and has always operated as a coal-tar processing plant.   The plant is capable of converting crude coke oven tars into chemical oil, naphthalene, refine tars, paving materials, roofing products, and various specialty pitches. Koppers products are used in various industries such as utilities, construction, and chemical manufacturing.

Due to nearly a century of coal tar operations, the Koppers facility has contaminated nearby soil, ground water, and bedrock along the sensitive ecological habitat of the Ohio River.  Correction and recovery of the area has been guided by the Environmental & Protection Agency and state of West Virginia under a 1990 consent order.

• Mill Towns Review, See Personals section – Joe Zago, August 8, 1913, front page.