Origin Materials, a “carbon-negative materials company,” plans to invest at least $750 million to develop a biomass manufacturing facility in Ascension Parish, state and company officials announced this morning.
The project, which Gov. John Bel Edwards says aligns with state environmental goals, will result in 200 new jobs, officials say.
The plant in Geismar will utilize wood residue—sourced partly from Louisiana’s timber mills and managed forests—to produce plant-based polyethylene terephthalate used in packaging, textiles, apparel and other applications. Hydrothermal carbon, which can be used in fuel pellets, also will be produced at the site, officials say.
“This project points to a future of transformational changes in the manufacturing of chemicals and plastics,” Baton Rouge Area Chamber President and CEO Adam Knapp says.
The plant will be located on the LED-certified 150-acre Parks Geismar site. The company expects construction to begin in mid-2023 and for the plant to be mechanically completed and operational by mid-2025.
Louisiana is offering Origin Materials, based in West Sacramento, California, an incentive package that includes the services of the state’s FastStart workforce development program. The company would be eligible for a $6 million performance-based award, to be paid out over six years, to reimburse site infrastructure costs. The company also is expected to use the state’s Quality Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemption programs. See the announcement.
