The Appalachian region of southeastern Ohio provides supply chain companies with cost-effective and easy access to all of the states involved in the Marcellus and Utica shales, “while maximizing return on investment now and over the life of the shale gas reserves,” according to a white paper by the Ohio Business Development Coalition (OBDC). The state “is the ideal location” for Tier I and II suppliers to the shale gas industry, “offering a central location, logistics infrastructures, a skilled workforce and a favorable state tax structure,” according to the OBDC. Among the tax benefits touted by OBDC: Ohio does not tax products and services sold to customers outside the state.