SHREVEPORT, LA (KSLA) -
A major steel manufacturer will build two steel mills at the Port of Caddo-Bossier, bringing nearly 700 new jobs to northwest Louisiana.
On Friday, Governor Bobby Jindal and Benteler Steel/Tube CEO Matthias Jaeger announced a two-phase construction project costing $900-million. The first facility will make seamless steel tubes, while the second will work as a straight steel mill.
The company chose Louisiana after a long and competitive site-selection process. Benteler looked at over 100 potential sites in more than a dozen states.
Bossier Parish Community College will become the training center for the company. A new training facility with specialized equipment specifically dealing with manufacturing technology will be built on the campus.
The new mills are expected to have a positive impact on the economy in northwest Louisiana. An economic study done by LSU predicts the expected 675 jobs will in turn create an additional 1,500 indirect jobs.
"This is a huge win for our state as it will be one of the largest industrial projects in the history of northwest Louisiana that will change the face of this area's economy," Governor Jindal said. "Benteler considered building this new project in a dozen other states, but chose Louisiana because we are in the heart of America's energy corridor, have one of the best business climates in the country, have a world-class transportation infrastructure, and because we have the best workers in the world. This project will bring valuable foreign direct investment to Louisiana, help increase our country's energy independence, and create thousands of new career opportunities for Louisianians."
Work on the steel tube mill will begin next year, bringing with it 1,000 construction jobs. This first mill is expected to open in the latter half of 2015. Benteler estimates the second steel mill would be built in four years. Hiring is expected to start in 2014.
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