Industry's Value to the Community
Building support in the local community to retain and grow our industries
Industry Makes Essential Products
From the shoes on our feet to essential healthcare products, Louisiana’s industries help make it all. Industry not only makes the products we need but also engineers innovations the world demands to create a safer and more sustainable future. In addition, industry creates quality jobs, a predictable and stable tax base, better schools, and a better quality of life for our citizens.
Below you'll find links to one-pagers outlining the various benefits of industry. Please share these resources with business leaders, elected officials, and other community members.
Economic Impact of Industry
The economic impact of Louisiana's industry is substantial. Local industry employs approximately 8% of the workforce in the Greater Baton Rouge area, with a payroll to these employees over $900 million. Including the economic multiplier effect of an additional 8-9 jobs per employee, this means over 60% of all jobs in the Baton Rouge region are due to industry’s presence.
GBRIA's 62 member facilities employ 25,000+ plant & contract employees earning a median salary of over $74,000/year for engineers and $47,000 – $100,000+ for industrial trades and technicians.
Industry pays two out of every three dollars in property taxes paid in East Baton Rouge Parish, and in other parishes, industry pays more than 70% of all property taxes collected.
Business and industry pay 50% of all sales taxes collected in the State of Louisiana.
For more data about the economic impact of Louisiana's industry, click here.
Supporting Education
Industry puts millions of dollars at work in our local communities every year and contributes thousands of volunteer hours to our schools and non-profits such as the United Way.
GBRIA sponsored the development and construction of the Associated Builders and Contractors Craft Training Center and has funded its $1 million/year operation since 1985.
Approximately 1,000+ craft people are trained at the school each year, earning certificates as boilermakers, pipe fitters, electricians, welders and more.
GBRIA also provides steering of programs delivered for industry by the Alliance Safety Council. They train approximately 40,000 construction contractors each year in essential safety skills needed to work in industry.
Promoting Process Technology (PTEC), a two-year associates degree that prepares people to work in the chemical industry as process operators; providing more than $200,000 in PTEC scholarships to students at the five Louisiana campuses offering PTEC.
Retaining and Growing Industry
Local industry is committed to a long term future in the area providing safe facilities that contribute to their local communities. Many area plants have been here for over 50 years, and some over 100 years.
Chemical companies have reduced Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) emissions by more than 80 percent since 1987. The Greater Baton Rouge area is in ozone attainment compliance.
GBRIA Public Affairs Committee
The GBRIA Public Affairs Committee is a group of members who meet quarterly to share best practices and exchange ideas among colleagues in industry. The committee is led by: Chet Peterson (Shintech) and Steve Ledoux (Orbital Engineering).