PORT ARTHUR, Texas — Dozens of Southeast Texas companies, contractors and industry partners gathered Thursday for the Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce’s annual Industry Show, an event organizers say is critical to fostering business connections and addressing a growing labor shortage.

Held at the Bob Bowers Civic Center, the show featured 120 vendors ranging from major refineries to family-owned businesses. Attendees showcased products and services from machinery and minerals to trash cans and excavation equipment.

“We’re kind of a jack of all trades,” said Kerry Trest of KAT Excavation and Construction. “We do the dirt work. We sell the materials, we do the land clearing and all that sort of thing.”

Chamber officials say the event comes at a time when business is booming in the region,

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