HAMMOND, La. (AP) -- Pineville-based Crest Industries is expanding its Louisiana presence into Tangipahoa Parish.
The company, along with Gov. Bobby Jindal and LED Secretary Stephen Moret, announced Tuesday it will build a $15 million galvanizing plant in the southern part of the parish to serve customers in the electric utility and petrochemical industries. The company will furnish galvanized protective coatings for utility poles and equipment.
The expansion will create 70 new direct jobs averaging $45,450 per year, plus benefits, officials said. In addition, an estimated 230 construction jobs will be associated with the project.
Crest CEO Kenny Robison said the company will begin construction of the 75,000-square-foot facility early next year, with a completion date in 2015.
Crest has selected a preferred site in the Robert area for the plant but has not yet disclosed the actual location.
"Crest Industries is grounded in Louisiana, and we are excited to be a part of building the local economic infrastructure by locating our latest industry expansion here," Robison said in a statement. "Tangipahoa Parish provides us the opportunity to tap into a great workforce, as well as close access to a portion of our customer base."
To secure the project, the state offered an incentive package that includes a $457,500 Economic Development Loan Program award and the company is expected to utilize the state's Quality Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemption programs.
"Crest Industries considered out-of-state locations before realizing it could find no better location to build and no better place to ramp up a workforce than in Louisiana," Jindal said in a statement.
