BATON ROUGE — Gov. John Bel Edwards and Mid South Extrusion President Ron Mason announced Tuesday the company will invest $4.5 million to add a 10th production line at its facility in Monroe. The company will upgrade its Ouachita Parish operations, where it produces polyethylene films for packaging and other industrial and commercial uses.
With the expansion, Mid South Extrusion will create eight new jobs with an average annual salary of $28,000, plus benefits. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will result in 16 new indirect jobs, for a total of 24 new jobs for Ouachita Parish and the Northeast Region. The company also is retaining 128 existing jobs at the Monroe plant.
“Mid South Extrusion is a homegrown business that has found great success over the years in Monroe,” Gov. Edwards said. “This family owned-company found a niche in its manufacturing sector, leading it to expand and add more jobs time and again. This latest investment and the new jobs that will be created are welcome news for the Northeast Region.”
Mid South manufactures polyethylene films for retail packaging, lamination substrates, and construction and pipe wrapping applications. In addition, the company produces packaging film used for bedding, furniture, carpet, medical, textile and canning applications.
“The management of Mid South Extrusion is excited to announce our investment decision in a new state-of-the-art, five-layer, blown-film production line,” Mason said. “In addition to substantially increasing our plant capacity, this investment will allow MSE to target new markets and customers in the food packaging sector. Working with LED and Gov. Edwards’ administration has only strengthened our commitment to grow our business right here in our hometown and the state of Louisiana.”
Mid South Extrusion was founded in 1986 as a small blown-film company, beginning operations with one production line and four employees in a 17,000 square-foot building. As the company has expanded its operations in the past 33 years, its production facility has grown to 200,000 square feet.
To secure the latest project, LED offered Mid South Extrusion a competitive incentive package that includes a Retention & Modernization Tax Credit valued at $180,000. The company also is expected to utilize the state’s Enterprise Zone and Industrial Tax Exemption programs.
