Premier Concrete Products, Inc. announced it is investing up to $10 million to add a state-of-the-art precast concrete pipe production unit at its manufacturing facility in Livingston Parish, Louisiana.
The expansion will allow the company to address the shortage of precast concrete products and support infrastructure and drainage projects across the southern U.S.
The company is expected to create 33 new jobs over the next 10 years while retaining 90 current positions. Louisiana Economic Development estimates that the project will result in 50 indirect new jobs, for a total of 83 potential new jobs in the Capital Region.Â
The new facility will include a fully automated concrete batching system that can produce multiple pipes and structures simultaneously, high-level curing capabilities and overhead cranes to maximize efficiency. The new unit is expected to be complete and fully operational by the end of the year.Â
Precast concrete products are made by pouring concrete into a mold at the manufacturing facility, instead of directly at the construction site. Once the concrete has set, the product is then transported to the construction site and installed as a finished material, reducing costs and improving reliability.Â
In 1996, Premier Concrete Products established a concrete products manufacturing plant in Houston and an administrative office in Louisiana. The company later opened its automated production facility on LA-16 in Denham Springs in 2000.Â
To win the project in Denham Springs, LED offered the company a competitive incentives package including the comprehensive workforce development solutions of LED FastStart.
The state has also offered Premier Concrete Products a $175,000 Economic Development Award Program reimbursable grant for infrastructure and building improvements, subject to approval by the Louisiana Economic Development Corporation board. The company is also expected to participate in the state’s Industrial Tax Exemption and Quality Jobs programs.Â