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Baton Rouge, La. (September 22, 2010) – The Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC) announced today that the Metso Corporation of Finland will expand its global U.S. presence by acquiring WYESCO of Louisiana, L.L.C., in Slaughter. The venture will operate as Metso WYESCO Service Center and is an affiliate part of the parent company’s Paper and Fiber Technology segment, specializing in repairs for equipment used in the pulp and paper industry. Metso has committed to retaining the thirty current employees.
“We welcome the Metso Corporation to the Baton Rouge area, and applaud their acquisition of WYESCO,” said Adam Knapp, President and CEO of BRAC. “The entire Capital region is well poised to attract increased levels of foreign direct investment. Metso WYESCO is a great example.”
In addition to its work in the pulp and paper industries, Metso is a global supplier of sustainable technology and services for mining, construction, power generation, automation, and recycling. The corporation boasts 27,000 employees in more than fifty countries. Prior to the transaction, WYESCO was Metso’s licensed facility for the repair of pulp mill components.
The East Feliciana operation is Metso’s first such facility in North America. WYESCO specialized in pulp/paper repairs for over thirty years, becoming a nationally-competitive authority on several pieces of specialized equipment and offered one of the most diverse lists of offerings in the U.S. The repair services provided cover digester components including high and low-pressure feeders, top separator screws and baskets, chip feeders, and steaming screws. Additionally, the facility has the expertise to repair thick stock and MC pumps, vacuum pumps, gear reducers, woodyard equipment and a vast array of components integral to the paper manufacturing sector. “Through the acquisition of WYESCO, Metso adds a diverse, quality provider of repair services to our services offerings in this part of the world,” said Lee DuBois, general manager of the facility. “I am optimistic about the synergy of this new venture.”
Those working for Metso WYESCO will see immediate advantages through the improved benefits packages a large, global corporation can leverage for its employees. Metso’s commitment to keep current employees and interest in future expansion is welcome news to officials in Slaughter and East Feliciana Parish. “Job creation is so important to the residents of Slaughter, especially as we make our way through these trying economic times,” said Mayor Bobbie Bourgeois. “We look forward to possible expansion and the employment of more area citizens that will bring.” Audrey Faciane with the East Feliciana Chamber of Commerce adds, “The Metso WYESCO Service Center will be a great asset, continuing the tradition of quality established thirty years ago.”
Bayou State Lumber Co. to re-open idle sawmill
Baton Rouge, La. (April 15, 2010) – The Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC) announced today it has completed a successful expansion project in East Feliciana Parish. The company, Bayou State Lumber, will be re-opening the shuttered Netterville Lumber sawmill in Jackson, Louisiana. The project creates twenty new jobs and includes a capital investment of $800,000. Livonia-based Bayou State Lumber forecasts that the mill will open by the end of April of this year.
“Bayou State’s expansion into East Feliciana shows the viability of the Capital Region’s lumber industry, while providing good jobs and restoring an existing facility back to commercial use,” said Adam Knapp, BRAC’s President and CEO. “We want to thank Bayou State for continuing to invest in the area and our regional partners for helping bring this project to reality.”
The company manufactures rough, industrial lumber used mainly in the oil production and refining industry sectors, especially for offshore applications. They also produce a finite amount of “grade” lumber, mostly cypress, for the construction industry. The Netterville mill, which will now be called the Jackson Lumber Mill, has been idle for approximately eighteen months. The potential expansion was identified through a retention visit with the company in February, 2010 by officials from BRAC, Louisiana Economic Development, and the Pointe Coupee Chamber of Commerce.
“We are pleased to be in a position to get the Jackson mill operational again, and we are anxious to expand our capabilities to better service our customers,” said Bayou State Lumber’s Magruder Hazlip. “We are grateful to the Baton Rouge Area Chamber retention and expansion group, and the East Feliciana Chamber of Commerce for their help in securing the facility and for walking us through the application process for state enterprise zone incentives. We look forward to beginning operations in Jackson very soon.”
“We are certainly glad that Bayou State Lumber is coming to East Feliciana Parish,” said Larry Thomas of the East Feliciana Economic Development District. “They are an excellent fit for our parish.”
Sponsored by the East Feliciana Parish Economic Development Board