Describing East Harris County in Texas as a “big economic engine” is, to say the least, putting it mildly. Fueled by its oil, gas and petrochemical industry, the region’s economy is larger — as much as 60-percent larger — than that of 26 U.S. states.
“That is a pretty impressive statistic,” according to Jim Griffin, East Harris County Manufacturers Association (EHCMA) chair and director of manufacturing, Dianal America (Mitsubishi Chemical).
“I’ve looked over the past five quarters, and four of those five quarters have achieved growth of 3.5 percent,” Griffin said, speaking to the recent North American Petrochemical Conference and Exhibition 2014.
In order for the industry to continue this growth, Griffin stressed the importance of recognizing and addressing challenges and opportunities facing development and operational excellence.
“It’s a complex industry,” he said. “We deal in physics and chemistry and math and psychology.”
Chief among the components of this complex industry, he added, are the people it serves.
Realizing his industry is looked upon in a less than favorable light by some, Griffin accentuated the life-changing products made possible by petrochemicals and plastics, and the need for industry leaders to “share the value we bring.”
“We make products like medical devices for blood banks, and catheters and IV tubes,” he said. “We wouldn’t have the medical industry we have today without the products that we make.
“It is our responsibility to work with the schools and the community associations. I’d like for them to get to know us better. Don’t hide behind the fence lines. Get out there.”
To that end, 20 years ago EHCMA developed community advisory panels, bringing together plant managers and leaders of individual communities to share ideas and concerns. Currently, 11 community advisory panels convene each month across East Harris County.
“The community sets the agenda; we talk about whatever the community wants to talk about,” Griffin explained. “Some are teachers, or they’re involved in their homeowners association. They’re engaged in their community.”
Concerns vary from community to community.
“What is a priority for Deer Park might be different for a neighboring community like Pasadena or La Porte or Baytown,” Griffin said. “You form relationships, and you learn to communicate better. You talk the same language.”
Griffin further urged his colleagues to appreciate and share the petrochemical industry’s success in addressing environmental concerns, particularly in improvement to air quality.
“Our community hears from different organizations that give us some very poor scores in air quality,” Griffin said. “Of the 15 most congested highways in the U.S., three of those are in Harris County. As trucks sit on the roadways, stalled, that certainly adds significantly to that issue.”
The good news is while the country’s population has increased by 53 percent, primary pollutants have been reduced by 70 percent since the introduction of the Clean Air Act.
“And this is improving as the industry is growing,” Griffin added.
Despite these significant and ongoing industry-wide improvements, it appears the EPA will look to the energy sector to do even more to address environmental concerns, Griffin predicted.
“It’s challenging; there’s no doubt about it,” he said. “Literally, we could fill this room with all the regulations that are critical to our business. But we need to continue to work with the EPA, particularly on the permitting side.
“We’ve worked hard on new technology, and we’ve spent a lot of money. This is the type of thing we’re trying to communicate and share. We’re proud of our business, we’re proud of the products we make, and we’re proud of the jobs. And the future is exciting.”
For more information, visit www.ehcma.org or www.dianal.com.
