The Shaw Group announced it will more than double the workforce at its Walker manufacturing facility, creating new jobs while retaining existing positions as the company scales operations to support current project needs across Louisiana.
The company told BIC Magazine that it is expected to create 209 direct new jobs with an average salary of $62,831, which is 40% above the average Livingston Parish wage, while retaining 165 existing positions. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will result in an additional 288 indirect new jobs, for a total of 497 potential new job opportunities in the Baton Rouge area.
“As major projects move forward across Louisiana, companies like The Shaw Group are seizing the opportunities and growing their workforce to deliver,” LED Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois said. “This expansion reflects the strength of our project pipeline and the readiness of Louisiana’s workforce to deliver at scale.”
The workforce expansion will take place at The Shaw Group’s pipe fabrication and specialty services facility located at 30103 Sunland Drive in Walker, 25 miles east of Baton Rouge. The Walker site is a leading pipe fabrication provider with technical capabilities that support large-scale manufacturing and industrial projects. The expansion supports growing demand for fabrication services tied to major industrial developments across Louisiana, including power generation, oil and gas and data center project needs across Louisiana and in the Gulf Coast area.
“We’re excited to welcome new team members to our Walker, Louisiana fabrication facility as we continue to grow,” U.S. Pipe Fabrication Operations Vice President Rhett Phillips said. “This is a great opportunity for skilled professionals to join a strong team, build rewarding careers and be part of an operation that’s investing in its people and its future. Our Walker fabrication facility has a long legacy of supporting industry in Louisiana and we are grateful to our employees and clients for this opportunity.”
Hiring is expected to begin immediately as The Shaw Group actively recruits skilled professionals to meet its current workforce needs.
“We’re grateful to Shaw Walker for continuing to invest in Livingston Parish and for creating real, lasting opportunities for our residents,” Parish President Randy Delatte said. “Their commitment speaks volumes about the confidence they have in our community and our workforce. I also want to thank the Livingston Economic Development Council (LEDC) for their tireless efforts behind the scenes to help bring this project to fruition. This is what real progress looks like: strong public-private partnerships, quality jobs that support families and a skilled workforce that is ready to meet the demands of a growing economy. Together, we are building a stronger future for Livingston Parish.”
To secure the expansion in Walker, the state of Louisiana offered The Shaw Group a competitive incentives package that includes the comprehensive workforce development solutions of LED FastStart. The company is also expected to participate in Louisiana’s High Impact Jobs program.
- This initiative is expected to create 209 new jobs and retain 165 existing positions.
- The company supports full-scale project delivery, advanced module fabrication and precision pipe fabrication and bending services for clients worldwide.
- Hiring is expected to begin immediately, supported by LED FastStart.
“The addition of more than 200 new jobs by Shaw Group is a tremendous win for Walker and for Livingston Parish,” Livingston Economic Development Council President Melody Lockwood said. “This demonstrates what is meant by the indirect impact of some of the recently announced large projects across the state, reinforcing our messaging of ‘Supporting Industry. Driving Growth.’ Our companies are providing the support, materials and services for these projects, and it is having a direct impact here at home.”
“Shaw’s roots in the Capital Region run deep, and this announcement represents the next chapter in a long history of investment and growth here,” President and CEO of the Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership Lori Melancon said. “The Walker facility’s ability to support multiple large-scale projects allows Shaw to respond to rising demand while creating new, well-paying jobs in the region. That combination of experience, capacity and workforce is what keeps companies like Shaw growing here.”
