Foundation work has begun on the much-anticipated new polypropylene production unit at ExxonMobil’s Baton Rouge Polyolefins Plant.
The expansion is worth an estimated $500 million to $1 billion and is predicted to create up to 600 jobs during construction and 65 permanent jobs once completed.
ExxonMobil spokeswoman Stephanie Cargile was unable to provide current construction employment numbers this morning, but says ExxonMobil is planning a media event in early November to share information regarding the contractor, as well as employment stats.
The expansion is ExxonMobil’s “largest local investment in almost a decade” and is part of the company’s broader $20 billion Growing the Gulf initiative to expand its manufacturing facilities in the U.S. Gulf region. The project’s ITEP requests are worth about $31 million over a decade and were approved last year.
