Unlocking Opportunities: Louisiana's Thriving Industrial Landscape
With decades of manufacturing expertise and deep roots in process industries like chemicals and refining, Louisiana is at the forefront of a modern industrial renaissance. The state’s strategic investments in site readiness, advanced GIS-mapping technology, and a pro-business climate have created ideal conditions for growth, attracting global leaders such as Dow, ExxonMobil, Honeywell, BASF, and Methanex. Backed by one of the nation’s top workforce development programs and highly competitive incentives, companies across the sector are finding unmatched advantages in Louisiana.
This includes Hyundai Motor Group, which is investing $5.8 billion to build its first North American steel facility in the state. The ultra-low carbon steel plant will support a Made-in-America supply chain and is expected to create more than 5,400 new jobs. From legacy industries to emerging technologies, Louisiana’s rich talent pool, infrastructure, and natural resources continue to drive innovation and economic growth.
Fueling Louisiana's Economy: Manufacturing by the Numbers
Pro-Business Climate for Process Industries
At the core of Louisiana’s competitive advantages is the strength of its business climate. In recent years, the state has enacted reforms to create an atmosphere that Forbes magazine called “America’s new frontier for business opportunity.”
Louisiana’s low-tax environment offers business operations significant cost savings. According to a 50-state analysis by the Tax Foundation and KPMG: Location Matters: The State Tax Costs of Doing Business, Louisiana’s tax burden ranks among the top 10 lowest in the nation for new facilities, relocations, and facility expansions for a variety of firm types, including:
- Labor-intensive manufacturing
- Capital-intensive manufacturing
- Research and development facilities
- Corporate headquarters
Low Industrial Electricity Rates
Highly Competitive Natural Gas Rates
Industrial Talent in Full Supply
Louisiana, a right-to-work state with a rich history in process industries, boasts the highest concentration of process industries workers in the nation, supported by private sector projects and additional investments in education and training. The state is strategically investing in higher education to meet the workforce demands of the thriving process industries sector, which offers stable jobs with above-average wages. Research centers and universities across Louisiana are hubs of innovation, producing skilled talent for the process industries while consistently graduating new chemical engineers each semester. Institutions like LSU, Louisiana Tech, Southern University, Tulane University and UL Lafayette have specialized programs and research strengths tailored to this sector’s needs.
To address industry demands, the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) has standardized a process technology (PTEC) curriculum, producing graduates prepared for entry-level roles in the industry. Louisiana’s commitment extends to funding a $20 million manufacturing training facility at SOWELA Technical Community College, which supports specific companies like Sasol while benefiting the broader community.
Business Incentives Designed to Manufacture Success
Louisiana’s highly competitive incentives offer both new and existing process industry operations significant advantages. Louisiana’s wide selection of programs can be combined to create robust, flexible, customized incentives packages for companies.
