Strategically located at the confluence of the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana has become a US leader in foreign direct investment (FDI) attraction and a key destination for British companies in the energy, manufacturing and logistics industries.

Business-friendly policies, an abundance of talent, unique culture, and unrivalled physical assets also make Louisiana an ideal environment for knowledge-intensive industries like advanced manufacturing, alternative energy, software development, digital media, the arts and other creative industries.

Since 2008, Louisiana has secured economic development projects that are resulting in more than 83,000 new jobs and more than $54 billion in new capital investment, according to state officials. In addition to Sasol’s potential investment of $19-22 billion, which makes it one of the largest Foreign Direct Investment projects in US history, Louisiana has also attracted major investments from IBM, Benteler Steel/Tube, Honeywell, BASF and GE Capital.

Companies based in the United Kingdom – including BP, Blade Dynamics, Drax Biomass and Hunting Energy – have invested over $900 million in Louisiana since 2004. The latest available complete national data indicates Louisiana’s total FDI since 2008 of more than $30 billion ranks as the second state in the US South. On a per capita basis, Louisiana ranks first in the US.

NO.1 FOR BUSINESS CLIMATE
In 2014, Louisiana was ranked No.1 for Best Business Climate by Business Facilities magazine and No.1 for incentive programmes by Area Development magazine. According to a landmark national study published by the Tax Foundation and KPMG, Louisiana offers the lowest state/local tax burden in the US for a new manufacturing operation, and the state boasts some of the lowest natural gas and electricity costs in the nation.

THE NATION’S NO.1 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
Ranked by The Economist as “the most notable statewide workforce-development initiative” and ranked No.1 in the US by Business Facilities magazine five years in a row, LED FastStart® provides free, customised workforce recruitment, screening and training for eligible new or expanding companies. FastStart partners with a company’s subject matter experts to analyse and study their processes, then employs innovative methods to recruit talent that meets the company’s specific requirements. FastStart has delivered customised workforce solutions for a number of Fortune 500 companies across multiple industry sectors.

UNRIVALLED LOGISTICS ADVANTAGES
Via the Mississippi River, Louisiana provides a gateway to 35 interior states giving manufacturers easy access to worldwide markets through the Gulf of Mexico. The Louisiana port system is among the largest in the world, with 32 deepwater and shallow-draft ports. The Port of South Louisiana is the largest single port in the Western Hemisphere by tonnage, and the ports of New Orleans, Lake Charles, Greater Baton Rouge and Plaquemines all rank in the Top 15. Louisiana is one of only two sites in the US where all six North American Class I railroads converge, providing great capacity and choice. As a result, Louisiana was ranked as the No.1 exporting state in the country, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Enterprising States report.

SITE SELECTION MADE EASY
Louisiana offers hundreds of available sites, mega-sites and buildings, and a site selection database that includes GIS-based geographic suitability analyses, demographic and business data, community profiles and more: www.opportunitylouisiana.com/page/led-certified-sites

CUSTOMISED SOLUTIONS BUILT TO SOFTWARE SPECS
The software development industry is thriving in Louisiana. With the nation’s strongest, most comprehensive incentive for the industry, strategic investments in higher education and alignment from the state to local levels, Louisiana gives software development companies a competitive edge.

LOUISIANA ENTERTAINMENT: MAKE IT HERE
Already the top US state for major studio, feature film production, Louisiana is experiencing rapid growth in its digital media sector, and the state offers best-in-class tax credits for entertainment ventures in digital media, motion picture, sound recording and live performance.

LIFE SCIENCES INNOVATION
The state has invested more than $500 million in its life sciences industry, helping to fund research, facilities and infrastructure, including the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, the Tulane National Primate Research Center and the Louisiana Cancer Research Center in New Orleans.

AN ENERGY LEADER
Including offshore production on the Outer Continental Shelf, Louisiana is the top producer of crude oil in the US and second in natural gas production. Nearly 90 per cent of US offshore rigs are located along Louisiana’s coast, and the state’s 19 active refineries account for 15 per cent of total US refining capacity.

More and more businesses are choosing Louisiana. To learn more about Louisiana’s custom-fit solutions for your company, contact our representatives below or visit opportunitylouisiana.com.