Gulf Coast Labor Market Analysis: Increasing Project Activity Continues Tightening Labor Supply

SUGAR LAND--March 19, 2014--Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The U.S. Gulf Coast region is at the heart of what most will categorize as the "biggest innovation in energy development so far this century," shale energy. The technological advancements in unconventional drilling are setting the stage for an industrial renaissance in many sectors.

In addition to the much publicized liquefied natural gas (LNG) export projects in the Gulf Coast region, the increased availability of inexpensive natural gas is driving project activity in other sectors, perhaps most notably the Chemical Processing Industry, which is experiencing high spending growth, due in large part to a sharp increase in the construction of new ethylene and methanol units, which require significant time, resources and manpower to construct.

Current forecasts show labor demand in the overall Gulf Coast region peaking in 2016, with labor demand for eight skilled crafts, including electricians, welders, pipefitters, iron workers and others, approaching 91,000 skilled craftsmen for the year, compared to approximately 53,770 in 2013.

New to Industrial Info's labor product line is our online application, called the GeoAnalyzer. In this tool, clients can view labor statistics by region, and perform radius searches from any chosen point, such as a plant or project location.

Industrial Info currently has Craft Labor Forecasts available for the high-activity areas of the U.S. Gulf Coast and Great Lakes regions. However, we are able to custom-build reports for other parts of North America. For more information, please contact Tony Salemme, vice president of Industrial Info's Craft Labor Group, at tsalemme@industrialinfo.com or by calling (209) 547-9878.