Albemarle Corp., a manufacturer of specialty chemicals, has announced that it will relocate its corporate headquarters from Richmond to Baton Rouge, La. The company had considered combining executive and administrative offices for some time and evaluated several cities in the southeast. Stated CEO Mark C. Rohr in a press release: "We are focused on maximizing Albemarle's global position to create long-term value and momentum, and relocating our corporate headquarters to Louisiana is a key element of this strategy."

The loss of a Fortune 1000 company is a blow to Richmond's pride, but the move should have a modest impact on the Richmond economy. With the operational headquarters located in Baton Rouge all along, the executive headquarters here was a nominal presence. Still, according to a Baton Rouge publication, the 30 jobs to be relocated have an annual payroll of $7 million. (For the math impaired, that averages $233,000 per job.)

Albemarle originated in 1994 when the Gottwald family spun it off from the old Ethyl Corp. Floyd D. Gottwald, Jr., ran the company for several years, and stayed on as vice chairman after Rohr took the helm as CEO in 1994. Gottwald retired from the board in 2007, however, and his son John. D. Gottwald, retired this February. I'm reading between the lines here, but once the Gottwalds were out of the picture, there was no reason not to transfer the executive functions to Louisiana.

In making the announcement, Rohr was full of praise for Louisiana. "Albemarle has a rich history in Baton Rouge, with over 600 employees and nearly 700 retirees living in the area, so we are very pleased to formally name Louisiana as our corporate headquarters," he said. He also lauded the new Bobby Jindal administration in the state. "The combination of the new administration's ability to drive progressive initiatives for the State, our confidence in the direction of the City of Baton Rouge, and the close proximity to many of our key customers and suppliers, made it clear that Louisiana is the right choice for Albemarle."

Bacon's Bottom Line: Albemarle's departure from Richmond was inevitable once the Gottwalds relinquished control of the board. From a business perspective, the move makes sense. But Rohr's press release leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Normally, companies that leave a community throw it a sop, a statement along the lines of, "Gee, we're really sorry to go, but we really had no choice." But you'll find nothing of the sort in Rohr's statement. Zilch. Nada. That void, in contrast to his fulsome praise for Lousiana, leaves creates the impression that the CEO won't miss the Richmond connection one bit. All I can say is, "Enjoy the swamps and alligators. And don't let the door hit you in the butt on the way out!"

Update: In its print version of the story, the Times-Dispatch quotes Rohr as saying that the move did not reflect on Virginia or Richmond. "We think highly of the state," he said. OK, Rohr declined to dis the region when talking to the press. I'll retract my statement about the door hitting him in the posterior on the way to the bayou.

Update II: A Baton Rouge publication notes that the state of Louisiana is providing Albemarle $4.2 in relocation incentives.