Louisiana enjoys a strong position as a leader in international trade. This presents today’s – and tomorrow’s – supply chain managers with outstanding opportunities to make their mark and build a career that’s sure to take them places. The state’s location is, without a doubt, its biggest asset. With the Gulf of Mexico as its shoreline, major south and southeastern metro areas as its neighbors, and the Mississippi River running through it, Louisiana is perfectly positioned to provide world-class logistics in our globally interconnected world.
And in the Bayou State, there’s a number of public and private entities that frequently join forces to ensure it stays that way. For example, in 2022, the Port of New Orleans announced the start of a $1.8 billion expansion project that includes the creation of a new Louisiana International Terminal in St. Bernard Parish.
This public-private partnership between the Port of New Orleans, the state of Louisiana, and two global maritime industry companies will have the capacity to handle vessels of all sizes, thereby dramatically increasing Louisiana’s import/export capacity and leading to the creation of more than 17,000 new jobs throughout the state by 2050. When fully operational, the Mississippi River Ship Channel will be about 50 feet deeper, allowing LIT to handle about two million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) annually.
Governor John Bel Edwards remarked that this project “has the potential to become one of the most impactful economic development projects in our state’s history.”
This kind of investment ensures the state remains competitive in the global market which, in turn, continues to inspire manufacturers, distribution centers, and logistics services to build their businesses here.
And that, of course, translates into bigger and better opportunities for professionals in supply chain management. From bachelor’s to master’s degrees and MBAs to post-master’s certificate programs, Louisiana is home to a host of universities offering supply chain management degrees on-campus and online that will prepare you to take the field by storm.
Louisiana’s Oil and Gas Industries: An Overview of an Economic Powerhouse
The oil and gas industries continue to serve as a major economic driver in Louisiana. These include oil and gas exploration companies; energy mining and utility companies; and oil and gas extraction companies.
According to the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Association (LMOGA), the oil and gas industry contributes $73 billion to the state’s GDP and accounts for some 250,000 jobs throughout the state – that’s about one out of every nine jobs. As of 2019, this industry accounted for about $4.5 billion in state and local tax revenue, which is about 14.6 percent of total tax revenue.
Just how expansive is Louisiana’s oil and gas industry?
Louisiana:
- Ranks third in the nation for its natural gas production
- Ranks fifth in the nation for its natural gas reserves
- Accounts for about 10 percent of the total marketed natural gas production
- Holds about 7 percent of the nation’s natural gas reserves
- Accounts for about one-sixth of the nation’s refining capacity (Louisiana’s 15 oil refineries process about 2.9 million barrels of crude oil every day.)
- Is the third largest exporter of coal in the U.S. (In 2022, the port of New Orleans shipped about 14 percent of U.S. coal exports.)
- Doubled its exports of liquified natural gas (LNG) between 2020 to 2022, reaching a record level of 3.9 trillion cubic feet in 2022
- Ranks among the top 10 states in the nation for both its crude oil reserves and its crude oil production
- Ranks among the top 10 states in the nation for its foreign crude oil imports
What Does a Supply Chain Manager Do in Louisiana?
From manufacturers to distributors to transportation companies, companies of all types and sizes benefit from Louisiana’s outstanding infrastructure and solid system of supply chains. Whether you’re the procurement specialist for a major manufacturer, a warehouse supervisor for a regional distributor, or a C-suite executive who oversees a company’s exporting activities, Louisiana is where you’ll find superb professional opportunities in supply chain management.
The manufacturing, supplying, warehousing, transportation, and distribution activities of everyone from global players like Exxon Mobile and Dow Chemical to small- and medium-sized businesses are supported by Louisiana’s streamlined and efficient infrastructure, which encompasses:
- 14,500 miles of waterways
- 6 Class I railroads that include more than 3,000 miles of railway
- More than 1,000 miles of interstate that connect the state to major metropolises like Atlanta, Dallas, and Houston
- Nearly 50,000 miles of pipeline
- The Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA), which delivers packages between river, rail, and road. This deepwater port is located on the Mississippi River, near the Gulf of Mexico, allowing it access to major inland hubs like Dallas, Chicago, and Memphis.
- The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, the only deepwater oil port in the nation
- Five of the nation’s top 15 U.S. ports by tonnage
- The Sabine Pass, the largest liquified natural gas export terminal the country
Manufacturing companies require the expertise of supply chain management leaders at all levels, from entry-level managers to top executives, to ensure the smooth, efficient flow of goods, particularly when kickstarting or expanding operations. Fortunately, Louisiana’s manufacturing companies continue to deliver the growth that drives the field of supply chain management:
- August 2023 – Global technology company SLB announced that it will establish a new manufacturing facility in Shreveport. It has plans to convert the former GM assembly plant into a new facility for manufacturing digital infrastructure-related products.
- August 2023 – First Solar announced it would build a fifth factory for its cadmium telluride products. This $1.1 billion investment, which will be located at the Acadiana Regional Airport in Iberia Parish, is expected to add about 3.5 gigawatts of manufacturing capacity for the company.
- August 2022 – Specialty cement manufacturer Calucem announced plans to develop a $35 million manufacturing facility in New Orleans. The project will create 70 direct jobs and about 158 indirect jobs for Louisiana’s Southeast region.
- July 2022 – BASF announced plans to double the production capacity at its chemical manufacturing complex in Ascension Parish in Geismer, Louisiana. This $780 million project, which is expected to be completed in 2025, will create about 37 jobs. BASF has invested more than $2 billion in new projects and improvements at the Geismar site since 2009.
Supply Chain Management Schools – Universities in Louisiana Offering Degrees in SCM Online and On-Campus
The supply chain management field is competitive, growing, and ripe with opportunities for natural leaders like you. Whether you’re looking to enter the management field at the ground level or land a top-level executive job, you’ll need a degree in supply chain management to get you in the door.
Bachelor’s degrees in supply chain management provide aspiring professionals with a foundation in both general business and the business of supply chain management. These programs teach students how to solve complex problems associated with the movement of goods. Courses allow students to develop analytical and business skills in topics such as purchasing, strategic sourcing, logistics, transportation, global supply chain management, and more.
Master’s degrees (usually designed as MBAs and Master of Science programs) and graduate certificate programs in supply chain management provide practicing supply chain managers and career changers with a more advanced course of study in the field. Students in these programs study innovative supply concepts to assume executive-level roles in the field. Graduate degrees in supply chain management, which are often led by industry experts, offer a combination of theory and practice, and include case studies, research opportunities, group projects, and more.
Whether you have plans to pursue an undergraduate or graduate degree in supply chain management, you’ll find a wealth of programs, both in Louisiana and across the country, that align with your career goals. Plus, many of these programs are now offered in partially or fully online formats to accommodate your busy professional schedule or geographical limitations.
Southern University and A & M College
College of Business
Accreditation: SACSCOC
Campus, online
- MBA-Supply Chain Management concentration
- Graduate Certificate in Supply Chain Management