Avondale closing another hit on the economy

July 16, 2010 at 9:47 am  | Mobile Reader | Print 

After suffering through several weeks of the oil spill disaster in which commercial fishermen are found without an income, Northrop Grumman has announced it will close nearby Avondale shipyard in the year 2013. This means some 5,000 employees will be relocated to the company’s Pascagoula plant or will lose their jobs. Plus, another 7,000 jobs at other companies supported by Avondale will be lost.

Of course, that is the way the economy operates. There are ups and downs in the free market and we certainly would not want to trade it for a government-operated socialist economy which is always on the downside.

Of course, the site of Avondale shipyard will continue to be where it is and available to other ship builders to take over the spot or make partial use of it. Hopefully, that will be the case.

Its location on the country’s most commercial river is in its favor. And the rail and highway transportation facilities to assist it are already there.

But even if shipbuilding is not a part of the future of the site, its location should be attractive to other types of businesses that can use its advantages. And there’s always the possibility that conditions will change for Northrop Grumman during the next three years.

Meanwhile, the forces out there that support economic development in our area need to be on the lookout for  opportunities to keep our southeast Louisiana economy going. It is a never-ending process.