According to The Orange Leader, the first year of construction at the $8.5 billion GTPC project has resulted in the city of Orange seeing more residential and commercial development. This is due to the city's economic development efforts and the influx of workers and resources to the area.
The residual economic impact of GTPC on the community is estimated at $50 billion over 20 years and 500 more permanent jobs.
GTPC is a joint venture of Chevron Phillips Chemical and QatarEnergy. CPChem, the operator of the facility, has been a positive presence in the Orange community for nearly 70 years.
The company works hard to be a good neighbor in the communities in which it operates, said Steve Prusak, CPChem’s president and CEO.
“We care deeply about the community of Orange, and we’re thrilled to be bringing jobs and resources to the region with safety and environmental performance at the forefront, as always,” he said.
Approximately 1,200 new units pending
To date, approximately 1,200 new residential units have been constructed, are under construction or have been approved. These new subdivisions do not include other types of residential units, such as duplexes and triplexes, mobile home parks or RV parks.
Housing ranks as a top need for the development of a major new project, said Dr. Ray Perryman, Texas-based economist and president and CEO of the Perryman Group.
Ripple effects include the expansion of existing businesses, the building of new hotels, and an increase in the property tax base.
Golden Triangle Polymers
GTCP is named for Texas’ Golden Triangle region, which includes Orange, Beaumont and Port Arthur. Once operational, the plant will produce Marlex® polyethylene. This thermoplastic polymer is used in the production of many types of durable goods, ranging from pipes for civil utilities such as water and natural gas delivery to recreational products like kayaks and coolers.
Polyethylene also plays an essential role in packaging applications for food protection and preservation, as well as keeping medical supplies sterile. The preservation component prevents food and other perishable products from going to landfills.
Local First
Through the Local First program, CPChem is collaborating with Orange County and Workforce Solutions Southeast Texas to prioritize the Golden Triangle region when sourcing its workforce, vendors and suppliers.
GTCP donated $200,000 to Orange County and the same amount to Workforce Solutions Southeast Texas so that both entities could expand economic development programs.
Join us
Construction of the GTPC facility is expected to take roughly four years. During that time, we will have created about 4,500 temporary construction jobs. By the time the facility starts up in 2026, more than 500 permanent positions will have been filled.
Learn about jobs at GTPC, including engineering, maintenance, and support staffing, and contact us for more information.