Alliance Compressors announced that the company is investing $45 million over the next two years to expand its compressor assembly facility in Natchitoches, Louisiana and keep pace with increased global demand for energy efficient air conditioning.
With the capacity expansion, Alliance is creating 78 direct new jobs with an average annual salary of $47,000. The company is also retaining 520 existing jobs. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will result in 96 indirect jobs, for a total of 174 new jobs in the region.
At the peak of development, the project will result in 55 construction jobs.
The expansion will allow Alliance, a joint venture of Emerson, Trane Technologies and Lennox Industries, to add a third assembly line to its 400,000 square-foot facility in Natchitoches.
The investment will include the purchase of new machinery and equipment, such as conveyor systems, automated welders, a washer for parts and material handling equipment. The company estimates the reconfiguration of its production flow will result in a 30-percent increase in efficiency and productivity.
Installation of the new equipment will begin in March 2022, with completion slated for March 2023. Hiring for the anticipated jobs will begin February 2023.
To secure the capacity expansion in Natchitoches, the State of Louisiana offered the company a competitive incentive package that includes the services of LED FastStart – ranked the No. 1 state workforce development program in the nation for the past 12 years.
The company will also receive a $1 million performance-based grant to support equipment costs. The company is expected to utilize the state’s Quality Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemption programs. ■
A low pressure wave forming along a cold front will track across the New England coast this morning, bringing a period of rain, heavy at times for much of New England, especially for Maine today.