Page 41 - FDI Alliance International Magazine, July 2019 Interactive Issue_Neat

Intracoastal Waterway and the Atchafalaya River Nominally some of the homeowners have placed
and a municipal airport with the capacity to land There is a buyer that would guarantee to small solar system panels onto their homes for
a 737 aircraft. The parish is within 1 hour to 1.5 purchase the output from the plant with a electricity and hot water but this is not what I’m
hours of 3 commercial airports, New Orleans long term contract. talking about. The Power Companies hold the cards
(international), Lafayette and Baton Rouge. The in this area. Recently, CLECO, the local power
The customer will sign an MOU at the
parish offers a competitive logistical transportation company and Cabot a Process Chemical Plant have
beginning of the project.
network to reach 34 states, Latin and South come together to develop the first Clean Power
American countries and deepwater ports for There is a company that will consider Facility in the region. The fuel is the off gas from
international bulk and containerized products to providing project financing up to 80% the Cabot Plant that is converted into 50mw of
Asian and European markets. depending on the portion of the EPC work electricity, enough to power 17,000 homes. CLECO
granted. will own the Power Plant and Cabot will interconnect
There is a community and technical college to The balance of the financing would be and clean the hot gas. The project will create 20
offer a highly trained workforce for companies provided by the plant owner/operator. permanent high paying jobs with an investment of
expanding from within and companies locating in $130 million shared among the companies. There
There are several sites in St. Mary Parish
St. Mary Parish. With the number 1 state sponsored is a 50mw wind farm on the books for development
that offer 40-1,000 acres with access to
workforce development program in the United as soon as the Public Service Commission considers
Class 1 Railroads, The Gulf Intracoastal
States, Fast Start, specialized training will be a rule change to allow for the $100 million project
Waterway, and 4-lane highway.
made available to meet your needs. The parish to move forward. The wind farm will create 10 new
has one of the more sophisticated workers in the The technical and community college jobs. Why Wind? As it turns out, this location has
metal fabrication with expertise in steel, and its will provide training to operators and the highest wind profile of any state on the gulf
alloys and aluminum metals. These workers are maintenance personnel. coast east of Louisiana. Commercial Solar Power
versatile in the use and maintenance of equipment has an interesting application in public buildings,
The parish will offer incentives for property
both mechanical and computer driven. In addition, i.e. Courthouses, Schools, jails, a company will
taxes and job creation.
the parish offers a contingent of process industry install and lease the plant back to the public body
workers and is the largest producer of Carbon Other process industries will be encouraged for 25 years. The lease rate is substantially below
Black in North America. The parish has many A and may be able to take advantage of the the electricity bills, so the public entity leases the
rated Public High Schools with dual enrollment special incentives, in addition to State and service and saves a substantial amount of money
allowing students to seek an industrial career out Parish Economic Development Incentives. on their energy bills. Finally, for those parishes that
of high school or seek a college degree at many have brownfield sites located near a transmission
of the fine universities within driving distance There will be focus on the manufacturing and line, that site can be placed in service with a solar
including: LSU, University of Louisiana Lafayette, services segments. Specialty Services and Advance plant generating electricity and selling the power
Nicholls State, Tulane, Loyola and the University Manufacturing opportunities will provide for high to the utility at avoided cost. There are incentives
of New Orleans(UNO). paying jobs and the expanding workforce. The to bring brownfield sites back into service and by
Parish has numerous machine and metal fabrication the way the parish gains as the property will go
The parish has numerous shovel ready sights entities. These companies combine both CNC and onto the tax roles as an industrial site.
ranging from 10 to over 1,000 acres and a one mechanical machinery and 3D design to fabricate
stop shop economic development organization. products for a wide array of industries including This strategy will have an impact on the parish long
aerospace, shipbuilding, process industries and oil term, but the oil service companies, shipyards, and
WHERE IS ST. MARY PARISH HEADING field service companies. Advance welding techniques process industries will continue to be the economic
INTO TOMORROW? are used for products in harsh environments. drivers. The message remains, TAKE CARE OF
The parish has just received funding to build a THOSE COMPANIES THAT HAVE GROWN THE
Certainly, the parish will help those industries new campus that will concentrate on Aluminum ECONOMY IN THE PAST. ASSISTING THEM IN
affected by the downturn get back on their feet. fabrication and process industries to insure there DEVELOPING NEW MARKETS, EXTENDING
The parish can assist with incentives, infrastructure is a trained workforce in these areas of expertise. THEIR PRODUCT LINES AND MAINTAING A
improvements, marketing leads and assistance TOP NOTCH WORK FORCE. Diversification
in recovering the workforce lost. The Economic The parish is known as the center for Marine by bringing new businesses into the parish may
Development Department will target markets Commerce on the Gulf Coast. A new marine dampen the swings in the local economic cycle
that will extend existing businesses into these campus and training center was just completed. The but not today.
new markets. technical college ranks among the top 3 schools
in commercial diving and underwater welding. It
The parish will target new markets where there offers more than 30 Coast Guard Certifications
are formidable strengths leading to interests from for navigation and safety requirements. There is For further information please
the process industries. The abundance of Natural also a $750,000 navigational simulator that trains contact:
Gas, a competitive logistical system for domestic Captains and Mates under various weather and
and international markets, available sites in remote waterway conditions (rivers, lakes, and oceans) Frank G. Fink
areas offering rail, water and highway transportation around the world with a wide variety of vessels. Director of Economic Development
and a guaranteed workforce available from day 1
of operation are some of these qualities. In the St. Mary Parish has always been the beneficiary 500 Main Street, 5th Floor
process industry segment relationships have been of the Black Gold Economy that has resulted in Franklin, LA 70538
developed that provide excellent advantages if the fluctuations that has created the boom bust
you want to build a methanol plant for example: economy that the parish has had to live with. Now Phone: 337-828-4100 ext. 340
it is the time to mix some of the Green Gold into
Cell: 985-518-5885
the Black Gold Economy. Where do you start?

FDI ALLIANCE | JULY ISSUE 2019 41