NEW ORLEANS, LA, USA - The World Trade Center of New Orleans welcomed its first speaker of the 2015 Executive Speaker Series on Wednesday, March 25th at the Westin Canal Place Hotel. John Buckley CEO Air Liquide USA LLC spoke to audience members about Air Liquide’s industrial gas business, its perspective on the industry’s position, and the challenges to the industry. John Buckley oversees the industrial merchant, electronics, and large industries business as well as the US corporate functions for Air Liquide, including safety, finance, procurement, legal, communications and human resources. 

 Air Liquide is a French owned company lead out of Paris, France with three main hubs in Frankfurt, Germany, Shanghai, China, and Houston, Texas. “We call ourselves the world leader in gases, technologies and services for industry and health,” Buckley said. Globally, Air Liquide has more than 50,000 employees and is present in more than 80 countries around the world. Buckley gave audience members an inside view of the industry and said that we can all expect and celebrate a positive outlook for the future. “The American Chemistry Council projects an over $5 billion investment in ethane production capacity that will generate nearly $11 billion in additional chemical industry output, which will bring the states’ industry revenues to almost $68 billion.” 

Throughout the operational phase of these investments more than 35,000 permanent high paying jobs in the chemical industry will be created and throughout the supply chain from everything in trades to craft jobs to highly skilled knowledge workers. Wages from these jobs alone will generate nearly $400 million in state tax revenue and nearly $440 million in federal revenue,” said Buckley. Buckley said that he is confident that the current low cost energy environment will continue to support the manufacturing and exporting of critical goods whether its chemicals, plastics, semiconductors, or energy products. 

 Some obstacles for the industry that he mentioned were government over regulation, non-fact based science and economic perspective and short term and unimaginative thinking. Buckley stressed the importance for government to promote growth and innovation. He also concluded with Air Liquide’s focus on the importance of creating high value for vocational careers. He said that Air Liquide is heavily involved in lighting the path in career training and development for students coming out of high school. Air Liquide has committed to engage with community partners in Louisiana and across the United States in order to ensure a talented and skilled workforce.

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