“The news of BASF announcing another investment in the Geismar site is fantastic,” said Jerry Lebold, BASF’s Senior Vice President and General Manager at the Geismar site. “With more than $2 billion in new projects and improvements since 2009, Geismar is positioned for success well into the future.”
To secure the project, Louisiana offered BASF a performance-based Retention and Modernization Program award of $300,000 to be paid over a five-year period. The company is also expected to utilize the state’s Industrial Tax Exemption program.
“For the second time in a matter of weeks, BASF has made a significant investment in the expansion of its Geismar facility, securing the jobs of more than 1,000 skilled Louisiana workers,” said Gov. Edwards. “This project is a testament to the logistical advantages our state offers to manufacturers seeking access to global markets, and reinforces our state’s unique ability to provide a wide range of supply chain solutions.”
Calucem Plans $35M Specialty Cement Facility In New Orleans
In eastern New Orleans, specialty cement manufacturer Calucem will establish its first U.S. plant by developing a $35 million manufacturing facility in eastern New Orleans. A subsidiary of Spain-based Cementos Molins, Calucem is the world’s second-largest producer of calcium aluminate cement, a high-performance product popular in a variety of commercial and industrial uses.
The project will create 70 direct jobs at an average annual salary of $51,700, plus benefits. Louisiana Economic Development (LED) estimates the project also will result in 158 indirect jobs, for a total of 228 new jobs for Louisiana’s Southeast Region.
Calucem plans to develop the facility at a nine-acre site on the Industrial Canal, and it is expected to begin operations in the third quarter of 2023.
“Calucem is taking on a new investment that will support our growth and diversification in the U.S. and ensure that we continue to offer high-value products to our global customers,” said Calucem President and CEO Yuri Bouwhuis. “Our choice of Louisiana for our first all-new manufacturing project in the U.S. is due to the availability of strategic raw materials such as limestone and natural gas, access to waterways and skilled labor, and the long history of using specialty cement products in the U.S.”
