A company that produces commercial-grade food service equipment will establish a new U.S. operations center in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Lincoln Foodservice Equipment, a Welbilt brand company, expects to create nearly 100 jobs with its $2.3 million investment, according to Louisiana Economic Development (LED).
“The new Lincoln Foodservice Equipment operations center in Shreveport is a welcome addition not only to Louisiana’s manufacturing sector but also to our world-renowned food culture,” Governor Jeff Landry said. “I applaud Welbilt for recognizing Louisiana’s unique advantages for business, especially our skilled manufacturing workforce.”
The project will add 35,000 square feet to the company’s current facility in Caddo Parish, supporting production of Lincoln Foodservice brand ovens. Welbilt CEO Kevin Clark said the location of the facility is a “strategic move” to amplify its capacity and optimize lead times.
Justyn Dixon, North Louisiana Economic Partnership President and CEO, said expansion of existing industries indicates that a community has the “means for success.”
“The growth of Welbilt in Caddo Parish, first with Frymaster and now with Lincoln Foodservice Equipment, is a substantial contribution to the manufacturing base continuously building in north Louisiana,” Dixon said.
Commercial operations are expected to begin by the end of the first quarter, according to company officials.
Boise Cascade Plans $75 Expansion, Modernization In Oakdale
Boise Cascade Wood Products will invest $75 million to expand and modernize key machine centers at its Oakdale facility in Allen Parish. The projects will increase veneer production capacity by 30 percent and allow the facility to produce up to 400 million square feet of dry veneer annually.
Boise Cascade expects to create 30 direct new jobs, and retain 370 current positions. LED estimates the project will result in 77 indirect new jobs, for a total of 107 potential new jobs in the Southwest Region. Construction is expected to start in the second half of 2024, with an estimated completion date in mid-2025.
The projects include upgrade and redesign of Oakdale’s log utilization center, installation of a new six-deck veneer dryer and press and modification of an existing veneer dryer. The upgraded technology is designed to increase productivity and will allow Oakdale to supply additional veneer to Boise Cascade’s engineered wood products (EWP) facility in central Louisiana. The company also operates a plywood and veneer facility in Florien, LA.
“Boise Cascade has a long history of doing business in Louisiana, and in fact, mill capacity at our EWP mill near Alexandria is the largest in North America,” said Boise Cascade Wood Products Executive Vice President Mike Brown. “This major investment in Oakdale reflects our ongoing commitment to invest in job sustainability and the state’s economy.”
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Louisiana offered Boise Cascade an incentives package that includes the LED FastStart workforce development program, and a $750,000 performance-based forgivable loan from the Economic Development Award Program for infrastructure and equipment repairs. The company is also expected to participate in the state’s Quality Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemption programs.
“We want to congratulate and thank Boise Cascade for its commitment to Allen Parish,” said Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance Vice President of Economic Development Jonathan Dean. “This $75 million investment in the Oakdale facility is a testament to the quality workforce we have in our communities.”
