Gov. Bobby Jindal and Thermaldyne CEO Randall Tolbert announced Thermaldyne will establish the company’s first indirect thermal desorption facility in West Baton Rouge Parish. The company will invest $19 million to develop the facility, which will be located at the recently established, 200-acre USA Rail Terminal industrial park near Port Allen. The company will create 45 new direct jobs with the project, with an average annual salary of $70,000, plus benefits. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will also result in 111 indirect jobs in the region.
Gov. Jindal said, “Time and time again, we have seen how Louisiana’s leading business climate and highly skilled workforce have attracted new investments to our state, and we are proud to add Thermaldyne to the long list of companies that are establishing new developments and creating great new jobs here in Louisiana. With their innovative processes, Thermaldyne will be a welcomed addition to the Capital region as their efforts contributed to Louisiana’s industrial renaissance.”
Founded in Georgia by entrepreneurs Mike Yawn and Aubrey Singleton, Thermaldyne’s facility will feature a unique configuration and the latest industrial waste remediation technology. As part of the environmental remediation process, heat is used to separate contaminants from the solid waste streams, such as soil, sludge or filter cake, from the petrochemical and oil and gas industries. Through this process, waste that would have otherwise gone into traditional disposal or storage methods such as landfills can be broken down, resulting in byproducts such as clean oil and biodegradable solids that can be repurposed, including use as asphalt. Additionally, the facility is expected to produce an emissions discharge of less than one percent.
“The state of Louisiana has been very welcoming to Thermaldyne and we couldn’t think of a better place to locate our business,” said Tolbert. “We look forward to bringing jobs to this community and working with local businesses as we complete the planning phase and begin construction of our industrial waste remediation plant. 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. 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 new facility will begin by the third quarter of 2015, with an expected completion in the second quarter of 2016. Hiring will begin later this year. LED began working with Thermaldyne in January 2015. The company is expected to utilize 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. “Being located where there is a strong transportation grid and access to La Hwy 190 and to Interstate 10, they would bring approximately 45 new job opportunities without taxing existing infrastructure. This is an economic development win for West Baton Rouge Parish and we appreciate the efforts of our partners – the West Baton Rouge Parish Chamber, BRAC and LED in promoting our parish to high quality business partners such as Thermaldyne.”
The facility will encompass 25 acres at the USA Rail and Terminal Industrial Park near Port Allen and represents the first of several commercial operations currently 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 2015. The facility is located south of the old Mississippi River Bridge. The site features opportunities for unit train and manifest freight delivery, trans-loading of materials, oil transfer and storage, pipe distribution, service company development, large rail storage capability and chemical delivery solutions.
“BRAC is delighted about the announcement of this first commercial project adjacent to the recently announced USA Rail Terminal in West Baton Rouge Parish,” said Adam Knapp, president and CEO of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, or BRAC. “To ensure the site was a good fit for Thermaldyne, BRAC worked closely with parish officials to enable proper access and necessary infrastructure, which we’re confident will be in place by the time construction is complete.”
About Thermaldyne
Thermaldyne is a provider of environmental and industrial waste remediation services. Leveraging the latest and most innovative technology, Thermaldyne specializes in the remediation of all types of hazardous, non-hazardous and listed waste streams. Oil refineries, chemical plans, offshore drilling rigs and various brownfield sites rely on the company’s technology and expertise to safely and efficiently remediate waste into clean, reusable material. Headquartered in Louisiana, Thermaldyne is permitted to receive all types of refinery sludge, petroleum products, fracking sands, drill cuttings and drilling mud along with certain Brownfield Site waste streams.