Danos Announces New Louisiana Headquarters and Fabrication Expansion
Energy firm’s $30 million capital investment will create 426 new direct jobs and result in 871 new indirect jobs.
Governor Bobby Jindal and Danos President and CEO Hank Danos announced the company will retain its headquarters in Louisiana and Danos has selected a Bayou Region site in Houma, La., for its new $10 million corporate headquarters facility. Danos also is evaluating multiple Louisiana port locations to select where it expects to invest $20 million in a new waterfront fabrication facility.
A strategic construction and production services partner for major oil and gas companies, Danos will create 426 new jobs over the next five years as it leverages new deep-water oil and gas opportunities in the Gulf of Mexico, along with land-based and international energy growth opportunities. LED estimates the Louisiana projects, with their combined $30 million capital investment, will result in an additional 871 new indirect jobs, for a total of nearly 1,300 new jobs in the state.
Governor Jindal said, "Danos is the stuff of Louisiana legend and a company that is renowned for its technical expertise, performance and, above all, outstanding safety in the oil and gas business. We are delighted that despite a challenging federal regulatory environment, Louisiana companies like Danos are rising to new heights in business performance and will lead the way in solving our nation’s energy challenges in the future."
With 1,100 employees based in Louisiana or working in offshore Gulf of Mexico operations linked with the company’s Louisiana base, Danos is one of the major economic drivers in Louisiana’s Bayou Region and a key contributor to global energy solutions, with 1,600 employees worldwide. We are thrilled to retain the company’s headquarters in Louisiana after an extensive site selection eliminated Alabama, Mississippi and even Texas from consideration. This growth by Danos in south Louisiana will secure an extraordinarily well-trained workforce and bring great new career opportunities to our children in the future. Launching a modest crew boat company 66 years ago, Danos attracted Gulf Oil (now Chevron) in its first year of existence and still retains the company as a customer today. Danos evolved into one of the largest oilfield service companies in the Gulf of Mexico region with a continual focus on safety and execution. The company works with all major energy producers in the Gulf today, aligning its services with operators from the pre-commissioning phase of major developments through the construction, operation and decommissioning phases.
"The Danos family business has deep roots in South Louisiana: The heritage and culture of this area are important to who we are as a company,” company CEO Hank Danos said. “We appreciate the commitment of our state’s leadership. The Governor and the Secretary of Economic Development are shaping an environment that is beneficial to attracting and retaining companies who are creating good jobs in our state and region. We are thankful that our employees, customers and the state recognize the importance of our dedication to excellence in safety and job execution.
LED's Business Expansion and Retention Group, or BERG, worked with Danos to identify growth opportunities within Louisiana. To secure the headquarters and manufacturing project, the state offered Danos a customized incentives package that includes a performance-based, $1.5 million Economic Development Award Program grant to provide infrastructure improvements for the new manufacturing location. The state also will provide the comprehensive workforce solutions of LED FastStart®, the nation's No. 1 state workforce development training program. In addition, Danos is expected to utilize Louisiana's Quality Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemption programs.
"We are honored that Danos has chosen Terrebonne Parish for their new facility,” Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet said. “Terrebonne Parish is truly fortunate to receive this vote of confidence by one of the most respected and admired companies in Louisiana. We welcome Danos to Terrebonne Parish as we continue build a community that is attractive to such great companies.
Construction of the headquarters facility will begin by early fall, with the manufacturing site to be selected within three months and construction of that facility to begin before the end of 2013. Danos has begun the design process with renowned architect firm Gensler and has contracted Louisiana’s own MAPP Construction as the general contractor. Both new facilities will be complete by the end of 2014. Hiring of the new headquarters positions will begin later this year, with new manufacturing positions being filled beginning in 2014. The Danos family, now in its third generation of service to our community and region, has not only survived both the natural and manmade challenges of the world, it has been doggedly defiant in its resiliency to prosper and grow,” said President and CEO Vic Lafont of the South Louisiana Economic Council.