Crest will create 70 new direct jobs with project that will support electric utility customers.

December 15, 2013

Today, Gov. Bobby Jindal, LED Secretary Stephen Moret and Crest Industries CEO Kenny Robison announced the company will build a $15 million galvanizing plant in south Tangipahoa Parish to serve customers in the electric utility and petrochemical industries. The Crest expansion will furnish galvanized protective coatings for utility poles and equipment. Based in Pineville, La., Crest selected Tangipahoa Parish to tap a workforce in close proximity to key customers, which include expanding petrochemical facilities and power providers.

Crest Industries will create 70 new direct jobs averaging $45,450 per year, plus benefits. LED estimates the project will result in another 95 indirect jobs, for a total of more than 160 new jobs. In addition, the company will retain 559 existing jobs in Louisiana, and an estimated 230 construction jobs will be associated with the project. Crest has selected a preferred site in the Robert, La., area for the galvanizing plant and is completing a review of property characteristics before disclosing the precise location in Tangipahoa Parish.

Gov. Jindal said, “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. Our state’s commitment to a great business climate and world-class workforce solutions is convincing more and more companies like Crest to invest in Louisiana. Our commitment to improving our workforce development programs, overhauling governmental ethics laws, reducing taxes, improving education and being fiscally responsible continues to pay dividends through new business investment and new job creation, and we will not rest until Louisiana is the best place to live, work and raise a family.”

With six business subsidiaries, Crest Industries serves a global market of customers in the electric utility, commercial and industrial electrical contractor, and forestry industries. The 55-year-old company pursues a strategy of vertical integration to bring quality products and services to customers. The Crest Industries galvanizing plant will bring services in-house that formerly were contracted to outside vendors.

“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. “We want to create quality jobs employing local workers and graduates and help continue building our communities and state. Tangipahoa Parish provides us the opportunity to tap into a great workforce, as well as close access to a portion of our customer base. The building of this state-of-the-art galvanizing plant, and the synergy it will provide to other business units, will enable us to ensure our customer base that we will be proactive in meeting their future requirements. This facility will provide galvanizing and coating services to a broad array of customers from major electric utilities and small rural co-ops, to chemical companies, steel service providers, and small business owners that require long-term protective coatings for their products. We are committed to our home state and the people of Louisiana and are proud to locate this expansion here.”

To secure the project, the State of Louisiana offered a competitive incentive package that includes a $457,500 Economic Development Loan Program award, along with the services of LED FastStart® – the nation’s No. 1-ranked state workforce development program. In addition, the company is expected to utilize the state’s Quality Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemption programs.

Crest Industries will begin construction of the 75,000-square-foot galvanizing facility in early 2014, with a completion date in 2015. Hiring for the facility will begin in 2014, with the majority of the jobs to be filled in 2015. Crest will reach full employment of 70 new jobs at the Tangipahoa Parish site in 2016.

“I am pleased that Crest Industries has chosen Tangipahoa Parish as the location for their expansion,” Tangipahoa Parish President Gordon Burgess said. “These 70 new direct quality jobs coming to the parish will help us to continue to keep our workforce local. Infrastructure, workforce, property tax rates, and the training offered through our university and community college programs all contribute to Tangipahoa Parish becoming home to new industry. This community welcomes Crest Industries and looks forward to their success and future growth.”

“We welcome Crest Industries to Tangipahoa Parish and look forward to building a great relationship with them,” said Executive Director Stacey Neal of Tangipahoa Parish Economic Development. “We are excited that the parish has been chosen for this expansion and are ready to assist Crest Industries in all phases of the project.”

“Crest Industries’ investment in Robert is proof-positive of the growth and business opportunities in Greater New Orleans,” said President and CEO Michael Hecht of Greater New Orleans Inc. “Companies from around the globe are choosing locations like Tangipahoa because of our unbeatable combination of friendly business conditions, low costs and high quality of life.”