JENNINGS, LA—Greenberry Industrial announced that it is converting a shipyard fabrication facility into a manufacturing plant to produce industrial modules for the petrochemical, maritime, energy, pulp and paper and high-tech semiconductor industries. The project will create 100 new direct jobs with an average annual salary of $62,000 plus benefits. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will result in 144 indirect jobs, for a total of 244 new jobs in Louisiana’s Southwest Region.

Greenberry is investing $500,000 to retrofit the facility with updated equipment. Installation is underway, and hiring is expected to commence later this month. The company anticipates site upgrades will be complete by the end of April, with commercial operations beginning soon thereafter.

Headquartered in Vancouver, Washington, Greenberry is a wholly owned subsidiary of Issaquah, Washington-based NAES Corporation, a service provider for the broader energy industry. It has other facilities in Washington, Oregon, Montana, California and North Carolina. Greenberry is expected to utilize the state’s Quality Jobs program.

“Finding a tenant for the shipyard, getting the facility back into commerce, and bringing back quality, high-paying jobs to our parish has been one of my primary goals,” says Creed Romano, president and CEO of Jeff Davis Parish Economic Development. “We are fortunate to have Greenberry as a new corporate citizen in Jeff Davis parish and look forward to working with them to ensure many years of success.”