Cincinnati, from its earliest beginnings, has functioned as a major port on the Ohio River. Distribution of raw materials as well as manufactured goods is one of the city's chief economic activities. Although Cincinnati remains one of the world's leading centers for the distribution of bituminous (soft) coal, this trade is gradually declining. Coal from Kentucky and West Virginia is shipped by rivercraft to Cincinnati and is then distributed to industrial centers along the Great Lakes, as well as to Cincinnati's own plants. In addition, the city serves as a distribution point for numerous manufactured goods sold in surrounding regions.
Diversified manufacturing is also important to Cincinnati's economy, accounting for nearly one-fifth of the labor force. Major employers in the metropolitan region include Proctor and Gamble (soaps, foods, toiletries), The Kroger Company (food processing as well as retail food sales), General Electric (aircraft engines), Cincinnati Milicron (machine tools and plastics-processing machinery), AK Steel (carbon steel), Ford Motor Company (vehicle transmissions), Champion International (paper products), Gibson Greetings (greeting cards), and Steelcraft (metal doors). Each of these companies employed over 1000 people in the mid-1990s. Trade and services each account for about one-fourth of the labor force.
