The Advocate
Thermaldyne will spend $19 million to develop an industrial waste remediation plant near Port Allen that will create 45 jobs with an average annual salary of $70,000, plus benefits.
The plant will be Thermaldyne’s first indirect thermal desorption facility and will be in the recently established, 200-acre USA Rail and Terminal Industrial Park.
The announcement was made Tuesday by Thermaldyne CEO Randall Tolbert and Gov. Bobby Jindal.
The Louisiana Economic Development Department estimates the project also will result in 111 indirect jobs in the region.
The company was founded in Georgia by entrepreneurs Mike Yawn and Aubrey Singleton.
As part of its environmental remediation process, heat is used to separate contaminants from solid waste, such as soil, sludge or filter cake, from the petrochemical and oil and gas industries. Through this process, waste that would have gone into traditional disposal or storage methods such as landfills can be broken down, resulting in by-products such as clean oil and biodegradable solids that can be used in products such as asphalt.
“Louisiana’s proximity to the Gulf of Mexico and the fact that it is a primary oil-producing state made it an ideal location in terms of transportation and opportunity for our flagship facility,” Tolbert said. “Our goal is to utilize the newest and most innovative, green technology to safely remediate hazardous waste such as refinery sludge so that area businesses can focus on growth rather than waste disposal.”
Construction on Thermaldyne’s facility will begin by the third quarter, with an expected completion in the second quarter of 2016. Hiring will begin later this year. LED began working with Thermaldyne in January. The company is expected to use the state’s Quality Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemption programs.
“Thermaldyne coming to West Baton Rouge Parish is terrific news, and we are excited about the environmentally friendly nature of their industry and are working to ensure their energy needs are supplied,” said Riley Berthelot, West Baton Rouge Parish president.
The facility will take up 25 acres at the USA Rail and Terminal Industrial Park. It is the first of several commercial operations being developed for the park.
The $14.3 million Phase 1 of the $80 million USA Rail Terminal and Industrial Park was announced in February. The facility is located south of the old Mississippi River Bridge.