Industrial Development: Hamilton, South Louisiana

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The Port of Hamilton is leasing space to a craft brewery. A $200 million boron compound manufacturing and processing facility is in prospect for a site within the jurisdiction of the Port of South Louisiana.

Hamilton Port Welcomes New Brewery as Tenant

A new brewery is calling the Port of Hamilton home. Arts & Science Brewing Ltd., a partnership between Collective Arts Brewing and Nickel Brook Brewing Co., will occupy space leased from the Hamilton Port Authority and last occupied by Lakeport Brewing. The brewery will be owned equally by the two brewers and will brew both beers. Operational by the fall of 2014, the vision for Arts & Science Brewing is to bring quality craft brewing to Hamilton and is aligned with Hamilton’s economic development plan in attracting creative businesses and individuals to the city.

The historic building at 201 Burlington St. E. was purpose-built by brewer Andrew Peller in 1947; the last bottle of beer was shipped from the facility in 2010 by Lakeport. After three empty years, the building will go back to its roots as a brewery.

Brewing operations will occupy 40,000 square feet of the building and the balance of the space, 10,000 square feet, is slated for hospitality and retail. The hospitality area also will include a gallery and live music space. Arts & Science Brewing Ltd. is committed to creating a destination for craft beer lovers, artists and musicians.

South Louisiana: Prospective Site for $200 Million Boron Processing Facility

Gov. Bobby Jindal announcing Etime USA’s plans for a $200 million boron manufacturing facility that would be served by the Port of South Louisiana.
Photo/Port of South Louisiana

The Port of South Louisiana on May 1 hosted the announcement by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and Etimine USA President and CEO Gokhan Yazici of Etimine’s intention to build a $200 million boron compound manufacturing and processing facility on the west bank of the Mississippi River within St. John the Baptist Parish and the Port of South Louisiana jurisdiction. Pending final decision, which should come by the first quarter of 2015, this venture will create 200 direct jobs with a salary of $50,000 plus benefits and is further projected to establish another 590 new indirect jobs in the region, for a total of nearly 800 new jobs.

Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Etimine USA was established in 2000 by a subsidiary of Eti Maden Isletmeleri, a state-owned mining company in Turkey. It markets and distributes Turkish refined boron minerals and chemicals to the U.S. market.

The company proposes to purchase 1,300 acres near the Gramercy Bridge for $25 million and, upon final investment decision, construction could begin during the first quarter of 2015, with the facility to open in late 2017 or early 2018. Facility operations will be contained within 200 acres of the site.

To secure the project, the State of Louisiana offered the company a $3 million performance-based grant to offset site-acquisition costs. As added inducements, Etimine will receive the workforce solutions of LED FastStart®,and is expected to use Louisiana’s Quality Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemptions incentives.

According to the port, the facility would import approximately 300,000 tons of raw materials by water annually and ship finished products to market by rail.

The venture would create 200 direct jobs with a salary of $50,000 plus benefits plus 590 indirect jobs in the region, for a total of nearly 800 new jobs.