Two months after packing up the executive suite in what was then Shaw Tower, Jim Bernhard has launched a new venture—Shaw Capital Partners, a private equity firm that will invest in independent energy and infrastructure companies and assets.
A startup car company called Elio Motors is moving into the former General Motors plant in Shreveport, where it plans to build three-wheeled, low-price vehicles. Gov. Bobby Jindal announced today that Elio is buying part of the plant to assemble its unusual-looking two-seat cars, which the company says can attain 70 to 80 miles per gallon of gas and will sell for about $6,800. The Phoenix, Ariz.-based company says it will hire 1,500 workers by late 2015, reviving a plant that once built pickup trucks and the commercial Hummer. The plant has been closed since late August, and Elio says it will begin renovations early this year. First delivery of the company's vehicles is projected for mid-2014. To land the deal, LED is providing Elio an incentive package that includes the new Competitive Projects Payroll Incentive and LED FastStart workforce development program. The former will provide annual, performance-based payroll rebates of 13% for each qualifying job, for the first 10 years of...
Though he heads a company that specializes in industrial construction projects for the energy industry, TOPCOR Companies founder and CEO James Baker doesn't strike you as a typical, wonkish engineer. Perhaps that's because he is not.
DMC Carter Chambers was looking for a property in Houston for an additional location when Texas-based officials began trying to lure the company's headquarters away from Baton Rouge.
The "check engine" light: It's probably the most hated of all the little lights and icons on your vehicle's dashboard. In Louisiana, however, there may generally be a silver lining when that dreaded light is illuminated: It doesn't cost as much to get it to turn off as it does in most other states. According to a new study out from automobile diagnostic systems firm CarMD.com, Louisiana is ranked No. 43 when it comes to the average cost of a repair shop visit. The Irvine, Calif.-based company says it compiled the list after analyzing more than 160,000 repair bills given to drivers in 2011 who pulled into auto shops because the "check engine" light came on. The list says the average "check engine" light repair cost $306.74 in Louisiana, with about $110 of that going to labor and the rest to parts. Wyoming, Utah, California, Montana and Arizona have the highest costs on the list. Indiana, Maine, Wisconsin, Iowa and New Hampshire have the lowest. See the complete rankings
Lexus makes the best-quality cars in the United States, and automakers overall are much better at eliminating problems that land vehicles in the repair shop, according to a new survey of car owners. Toyota's luxury brand had the fewest problems per 100 vehicles in a survey of 2012 models by research firm J.D. Power and Associates. The brand was followed by two other luxury carmakers, Jaguar and Porsche, which tied for second place. Cadillac and Honda rounded out the top five. Cars and trucks sold in the Unite States had the highest quality since J.D. Power started doing the study in 1987. Still, quality was hurt by widespread glitches in technology such as touch-screen controls and voice-recognition software. In the nationwide survey, J.D. Power asked 74,000 people who bought or leased 2012 models about how reliable their vehicles were and whether they had problems with knobs, switches, electronics and other items in the first 90 days of ownership. It's the first major assessment of...
Louisiana stands to benefit in "a major way" from an anticipated trend of so-called re-shoring of manufacturing from China, LED Secretary Stephen Moret says. While Louisiana has long been a center for petrochemical plants and oil refineries, the state has lagged in durable goods manufacturing. But as costs in China rise and some multinational companies start to look at the United States again, Louisiana is well-positioned to land some of those projects, Moret says. Automotive and aircraft manufacturing, and suppliers to those industries, are among the leading target sectors. "Any [durable goods] company that we attract and help ramp up helps make us more attractive to other companies, whether or not they're in the same industry space," Moret says. LED's FastStart worker training program, which helps attract and develop workers for new projects, is working with the Louisiana Community and Technical College System to launch C4M, or "Certified for Manufacturing." Officials hope C4M will...
New Shaw in town
Two months after packing up the executive suite in what was then Shaw Tower, Jim Bernhard has launched a new venture—Shaw Capital Partners, a private equity firm that will invest in independent energy and infrastructure companies and assets.
Startup auto company moving into former Shreveport GM plant
A startup car company called Elio Motors is moving into the former General Motors plant in Shreveport, where it plans to build three-wheeled, low-price vehicles. Gov. Bobby Jindal announced today that Elio is buying part of the plant to assemble its unusual-looking two-seat cars, which the company says can attain 70 to 80 miles per gallon of gas and will sell for about $6,800. The Phoenix, Ariz.-based company says it will hire 1,500 workers by late 2015, reviving a plant that once built pickup trucks and the commercial Hummer. The plant has been closed since late August, and Elio says it will begin renovations early this year. First delivery of the company's vehicles is projected for mid-2014. To land the deal, LED is providing Elio an incentive package that includes the new Competitive Projects Payroll Incentive and LED FastStart workforce development program. The former will provide annual, performance-based payroll rebates of 13% for each qualifying job, for the first 10 years of...
From journalism to industrial sales
Though he heads a company that specializes in industrial construction projects for the energy industry, TOPCOR Companies founder and CEO James Baker doesn't strike you as a typical, wonkish engineer. Perhaps that's because he is not.
The industry wars
DMC Carter Chambers was looking for a property in Houston for an additional location when Texas-based officials began trying to lure the company's headquarters away from Baton Rouge.
La. among states with lowest 'check engine' light repair costs
The "check engine" light: It's probably the most hated of all the little lights and icons on your vehicle's dashboard. In Louisiana, however, there may generally be a silver lining when that dreaded light is illuminated: It doesn't cost as much to get it to turn off as it does in most other states. According to a new study out from automobile diagnostic systems firm CarMD.com, Louisiana is ranked No. 43 when it comes to the average cost of a repair shop visit. The Irvine, Calif.-based company says it compiled the list after analyzing more than 160,000 repair bills given to drivers in 2011 who pulled into auto shops because the "check engine" light came on. The list says the average "check engine" light repair cost $306.74 in Louisiana, with about $110 of that going to labor and the rest to parts. Wyoming, Utah, California, Montana and Arizona have the highest costs on the list. Indiana, Maine, Wisconsin, Iowa and New Hampshire have the lowest. See the complete rankings
Lexus tops auto quality study as industry improves
Lexus makes the best-quality cars in the United States, and automakers overall are much better at eliminating problems that land vehicles in the repair shop, according to a new survey of car owners. Toyota's luxury brand had the fewest problems per 100 vehicles in a survey of 2012 models by research firm J.D. Power and Associates. The brand was followed by two other luxury carmakers, Jaguar and Porsche, which tied for second place. Cadillac and Honda rounded out the top five. Cars and trucks sold in the Unite States had the highest quality since J.D. Power started doing the study in 1987. Still, quality was hurt by widespread glitches in technology such as touch-screen controls and voice-recognition software. In the nationwide survey, J.D. Power asked 74,000 people who bought or leased 2012 models about how reliable their vehicles were and whether they had problems with knobs, switches, electronics and other items in the first 90 days of ownership. It's the first major assessment of...
Autos and aerospace among newest targets for LED
Louisiana stands to benefit in "a major way" from an anticipated trend of so-called re-shoring of manufacturing from China, LED Secretary Stephen Moret says. While Louisiana has long been a center for petrochemical plants and oil refineries, the state has lagged in durable goods manufacturing. But as costs in China rise and some multinational companies start to look at the United States again, Louisiana is well-positioned to land some of those projects, Moret says. Automotive and aircraft manufacturing, and suppliers to those industries, are among the leading target sectors. "Any [durable goods] company that we attract and help ramp up helps make us more attractive to other companies, whether or not they're in the same industry space," Moret says. LED's FastStart worker training program, which helps attract and develop workers for new projects, is working with the Louisiana Community and Technical College System to launch C4M, or "Certified for Manufacturing." Officials hope C4M will...