MARIETTA — Shale Crescent USA, a non-profit group of business and community leaders from Ohio and West Virginia, attended the World Petrochemical Conference March 20 in Houston to promote the Mid-Ohio Valley and the Shale Crescent for high-energy manufacturing industries to expand or relocate.
Shale Crescent USA sponsored the opening reception at the conference the evening of March 20.
The conference was an international event at the Marriott Marquis Hotel with more than 1,400 delegates from 600 companies and 50 countries attending. Among those were high level decision makers representing the petrochemical, chemical, energy, oil and gas and other manufacturing industries.
Eight Shale Crescent representatives attended the event and touted the benefits of the Shale Crescent Region including the cheapest natural gas in the developed world, abundant water resources, its proximity to half of the U.S. and Canadian markets and an experienced, motivated workforce.
“The World Petrochemical Conference was the first time our organization has been face to face with so many prospects that have the authority to bring their company to the Shale Crescent USA Region,” said Greg Kozera, marketing director for Shale Crescent USA. “We were excited to be talking to the decision makers. The sales process for getting a company to come here is a long one, typically taking three years or more and requiring numerous contacts. We were excited to start that process in earnest in Houston.”
Shale Crescent USA has participated in numerous economic development, community and regional events over the past year and has been aggressively marketing the region through print, radio and on the Internet, he said.
“This event was different,” said Kozera.
Shale Crescent USA is targeting the 100 largest energy users in the world and almost half of them were in attendance at the conference, he said. The group worked for months preparing for the conference to develop marketing materials, including research on the attending companies, Kozera said.
“As a result of our attendance at the World Petrochemical Conference, we have a stronger knowledge of our target audiences and industries that will allow for greater focus in our marketing efforts,” Mark Schwendeman, board chairman, said. “Besides creating an awareness of Shale Crescent USA we have a focused and refined list of prospects who would like to have further discussion about the Shale Crescent Region. Shale Crescent USA has made, and continues to make, significant progress to build awareness of the region with the goal to attract new industry that will provide quality jobs and improved tax infrastructure to the region.”