Caterpillar planning $725M expansion in Lafayette
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Construction equipment manufacturer Caterpillar Inc. is planning a major expansion to its Large Engine Center in Lafayette.
The Irving, Texas-based company says it will invest $725 million to build and equip a 300,000-square-foot addition to the 1.6 million-square-foot facility and create 100 jobs over the next four years.
The Lafayette Redevelopment Commission on Thursday recommended approval of two, 10-year tax abatement requests for the project.
The company said in documents filed with the city that the project would be one of the largest investments in the Lafayette facility since its original construction.
The majority of the investment, $625 million, would go toward new machinery equipment, as well as on-site rail infrastructure, according to the company’s personal property tax abatement request.
The remaining $100 million would go toward the construction of the addition to the facility, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. The installation of the new equipment is slated for completion the following year.
Caterpillar said the project would help retain the nearly 1,900 employees who currently work at the facility. The new jobs would come with an average wage of $27.20 per hour, adding more than $5.6 million to the facility’s payroll.
The Large Engine Center manufactures engines for a variety of applications, including oil and gas, electric power, marine, rail and mining.