I
FOR T H E CHEMICAL I N D U S T R Y
IN T H E
Division of C h e m i c a l M a r k e t i n g a n d Economics, 127th Meeting, ACS, Cincinnati, Ohio CURRENT STATUS AND PROJECTED TRENDS
............... INDUSTRIAL LABOR SUPPLY AND PRODUCTIVITY Arthur E. Jakeman . . . . . . . . . . . . . TRANSPORTATION CharlesW. Gowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Frank J. Soday
FINANCIAL RESOURCES
A. Hampton Frady, Jr.
...........
2323
... Phil M. Milesand Joseph H. Taylor . . . . .
Stewart J. Lloyd and George M. Toffel. 2360 2361 2365
2330
KENTUCKY
MISSISSIPPI
Henry V. Allen, Jr.
2340
.............
2346
.
2354
TENNESSEE
T h i s is the ninth symposium on Resources for the Chemical Industry; it deals with the East South Central States -Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee-which occupy 670 or 182,000 square miles of U. S, land area and accommodate 7.5% of the population or 11,500,000 people. The economy is predominantly one of small farms: in 1950 there were 8 farms per 100 persons in the area as compared with only about 3.5 in the United States as a whole. In 1952, manufacturing provided employment for just under 670 of the area population as contrasted with slightly more than 10% for the nation as a whole. I n recent years, regional gains in industrial investment and employment have been healthy, and value added by manufacturing currently is nearly four times the comparable figure for farm operations. The chemical industry has not lagged in this respect. All four states enjoy a n adequate, dependable water supply for cooling, processing, and transportation. This water supply plus abundant fuels lead to a sufficiency of both hydro- and steamgenerated electric power resources for industry. Finance is a critical factor a t every stage of chemical development. Disposable income is important because i t establishes the area potential as a market for its own commodities. I n this respect, the East South Central States have lagged, but have been gaining recently. Per capita income in 1949 averaged about $800 for the four states versus
2322
PHYSICAL RESOURCES IN ALABAMA
George I. Whitlatch and Robert B. Cassell.
$1300 for the nation. By 1953, the area had gainedi34% a s against 29% for theunited States. Value added by,manufacturing in the four states averaged $5100 per employee irn 1952, whereas the national average was $6800. Nationwide, the value added by manufacturing in chemicals a n 8 allied products was $11,800 per employee, nearly 7570 more t h a n the composite figure for all industry. Emphasis o n maximum utilization of its chemical resources, therefore, can benefit the area by raising its living standards. Population growth in the area exceeded the national rate from 1930 to 1940, but this trend was reversed sharply in 1940 to 1950. The United States increased about 14.570 in population and the East South Central States only 6.570. Emigration of industrial workers is a very large factor in this change. Natural population growth factors-the excess of births over deaths-are greater in the region than in the country as a whole. If the already discernible acceleration of industrial growth in the region stems this tide of emigration and helps t o raise per capita income at the same time, internal markets may be expected to grow at a healthy rate. Growing internal markets, existing physical resources, and ready access t o nearby older marketing centers all add u p t o a situation of virtually unlimited opportunity for chemical industry expansion in this area.
INDUSTRIAL A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
H. L. THOMPSON
Vol. 47, No. 11
