Shintech is making a multi-billion dollar bet on Iberville Parish, announcing Wednesday that it will invest $3.4 billion to expand its Plaquemine complex and potentially reshape the jobs landscape in the Capital Region.
The massive petrochemical buildout will add a second ethylene unit and a fourth chlor-alkali and vinyl chloride monomer unit at the Plaquemine site in Iberville Parish, with the company touting more than 800 potential new jobs tied to the project. The expansion is structured in phases to increase PVC output while cutting emissions per pound of product, and Shintech officials framed it as the latest step in decades of local investment.
According to Louisiana Economic Development, construction will roll out in phases, with the first phase slated for completion in 2030. State economic officials estimate the project will create 163 direct jobs with an average annual salary of $117,329, retain about 725 existing positions and generate roughly 655 indirect jobs, for a total potential employment impact of 818 across the Capital Region.
What Shintech Will Build
As reported by New Orleans CityBusiness, the new production units at Plaquemine are expected to incorporate advanced, lower-emissions manufacturing technology while increasing both PVC and caustic-soda output.
Yasuhiko Saitoh, president of Shintech Inc., said the investment "aligns with Shintech’s strategy to ensure reliable and cost-effective supply of key feedstocks for our business," according to the company release. In other words, the company is betting that bigger and cleaner will also mean more competitive.
Jobs and Pay
Louisiana Economic Development said the 163 direct new hires at Plaquemine are projected to earn an average of about $117,329 a year, roughly 42% above the average wage in Iberville Parish. On top of those permanent roles, the buildout is expected to generate thousands of construction jobs and around 100 nested contractor positions on site.
Shintech said it will continue to lean on established local training programs to staff up, recruiting technicians and operations workers from Iberville and neighboring parishes. For residents with industrial skills or those willing to train up, the company’s latest move is poised to keep the local talent pipeline busy for years.
Incentives and Infrastructure
To secure the project, the state assembled a familiar package of economic tools. Incentives include LED FastStart and a $23.5 million performance-based grant tied to equipment and infrastructure improvements, according to New Orleans CityBusiness.
Entergy Louisiana, the plant’s power provider, said it will expand power capacity to support the Plaquemine complex as Shintech increases production, ensuring the grid can keep pace with the company’s growth plans.
Community Context
Shintech has operated in Louisiana since 2000 and lists the Plaquemine facility as an integrated PVC, VCM and caustic-soda complex, with multiple rounds of expansion over the past two decades, according to Shintech. The site’s federal environmental reporting history, including its listed public contact, appears in the EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory database, per EPA TRI.
Local officials welcomed the expansion as a major win for the Capital Region’s economy, pointing to the combined punch of permanent plant jobs, construction work and spin-off business for area vendors. Shintech executives and state leaders said they will work to connect residents and local suppliers with both short-term construction and long-term hiring opportunities.
Company and state representatives said more details on hiring events and contracting opportunities will be rolled out as planning and permitting move ahead, giving Plaquemine and surrounding communities time to gear up for the next wave of growth at the riverfront plant.
