Shintech Announces $1.3 Billion Expansion For Plastics Facilities

BATON ROUGE, La. — Today, Gov. John Bel Edwards and Shintech Louisiana LLC announced the company will invest $1.3 billion to expand its manufacturing and packaging facilities in Iberville and West Baton Rouge parishes. Shintech is the world’s leading manufacturer of polyvinyl chloride resins, or PVC. The company will make a $1.25 billion investment to increase PVC manufacturing capacity and expand chlor-alkali and vinyl chloride monomer capacity at its manufacturing facility in Plaquemine, which was announced in 2018 and is expected to be completed this year. The company also is expanding its PVC packaging and warehouse operation in Addis.

In Plaquemine, Shintech’s manufacturing expansion will create 30 new direct jobs with an average annual salary of $86,000, plus benefits. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will result in 129 new indirect jobs, for a total of 159 new jobs for Iberville Parish and the Capital Region.

Shintech will retain 530 existing jobs at the Iberville and West Baton Rouge facilities where the company has operated since 1999. The company expects the expansion project to create up to 2,400 constructions jobs. Construction is expected to be completed toward the end of 2023.

“Louisiana’s competitive business environment remains supportive of our major manufacturing sectors,” Gov. Edwards said. “Our skilled workforce and world-class infrastructure continue to set the stage for significant manufacturing expansions. As Shintech reaffirms its confidence in Louisiana’s economic strengths, we welcome the company’s latest investment in Iberville and West Baton Rouge parishes.”

The company is expanding its facilities to keep pace with the demand for PVC, a versatile, durable product used in a variety of applications in the building and construction industries as well as health care, electronics, automobile and other sectors. Shintech is a wholly owned subsidiary of Japan-based Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd.

“Shintech continues to invest in and increase its manufacturing presence in the North American market,” Vice President of Manufacturing Danny Cedotal said. “We appreciate the company’s confidence in our local manufacturing team. The jobs and infrastructure the company has built in Plaquemine and Addis continue to create much-needed economic development in our communities. We are grateful for the support of neighbors and our community, and we work every day to continue our commitment to live locally, hire locally and buy locally as the company’s footprint grows.”

LED began discussions with Shintech about the potential expansions in 2020. To secure the project, the State of Louisiana offered a competitive incentive package that includes the comprehensive solutions of LED FastStart^® – the nation’s No. 1 state workforce development program for the past 11 years. The state has offered Shintech a performance-based grant of up to $6.6 million for the construction, procurement and installation of infrastructure to support the expansion project. The grant is payable in four installments, contingent upon the company reaching investment and production benchmarks. The company also is expected to utilize Louisiana’s Quality Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemption programs.

Shintech has invested more than $7 billion in its Louisiana operations in Iberville and West Baton Rouge parishes.

“Since 2005, Shintech Louisiana has had significant investments at its Iberville Parish site,” Iberville Parish President J. Mitchell Ourso Jr. said. “With favorable parish and state business climates, Shintech Louisiana continues to invest and expand its footprint in Iberville Parish. Iberville Parish congratulates Shintech Louisiana on its $1.25 billion Iberville Parish expansion project as well as its job creation and many community partnerships.”

”Shintech’s expansion of its PVC packaging and warehouse operation in Addis is great news for West Baton Rouge Parish,” West Baton Rouge Parish President Riley L. Berthelot Jr. said. “This is especially encouraging news in a time when some local industry here has had to downsize to remain profitable in today’s economy.”

“We are pleased to hear about the announcement of Shintech’s expansion projects in Louisiana,” said President and CEO Brandy D. Christian of the Port of New Orleans. “They have long been one of our top three exporters, a committed and vital component of our growing export business and an innovative partner in the shipment of the plastic resins which make us competitive in the global market. These expansion plans are great for our region, and we appreciate their continued longstanding commitment to Louisiana.”

“The fundamental importance of investments like these has never been more obvious,” said President and CEO Adam Knapp of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber. “Not only is Shintech investing serious capital into our economy, supporting both full-time and contract construction jobs, but it is also domestically producing critical material utilized by sectors like health care, technology and construction. We celebrate Shintech’s announcements and look forward to working with them on these and future projects in our regional parishes.”

About Shintech Louisiana LLC
Shintech’s operations in Iberville and West Baton Rouge parishes consist of integrated manufacturing facilities that produce caustic soda and vinyl chloride monomer as well as PVC resin. Shintech values its strong working relationship with the West Baton Rouge Parish and Iberville Parish communities. The focus on community is embodied in the company’s motto: “Live Locally, Hire Locally, Buy Locally.” Shintech Louisiana is a wholly owned subsidiary of Shintech Inc., a leading U.S. producer of PVC resins with headquarters in Houston and a manufacturing facility in Freeport, Texas. Shintech Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tokyo-based Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd., the world’s largest producer of PVC, with plants in the U.S., Asia and Europe. For more information, visit ShintechInc.com.

About LED  
Louisiana Economic Development is responsible for strengthening the state’s business environment and creating a more vibrant Louisiana economy. LED cultivates jobs and economic opportunity for the people of Louisiana, and promotes business opportunity for employers of all sizes. For more information, visit OpportunityLouisiana.com.

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