Greenberry Industrial, a Washington-based fabricator and contractor, said Thursday it will invest $500,000 to reopen the idled Gulf Islands Shipyard on the Mermentau River, just east of Jennings.

The 180-site has been idle for a year after the closure of Gulf Islands Shipyard, formerly Leevac Shipyard.

Greenberry Industrial plans to manufacture heavy industrial modules for petrochemical, maritime, energy, pulp and paper and high-tech semiconductor industries. The manufacturer will be ideally located along the Mermentau River, just off Hwy. 90.

“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,” Jeff Davis Economic Development Director Creed Romano said.

The jobs created and financial impact will help those in the region find employment, according to Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance President George Swift.

“Greenberry Industrial’s investment in Jeff Davis Parish will create new jobs and economic opportunities for South Louisiana,” Congressman Clay Higgins said. “This is welcome news. We support private investment projects like this, which contribute greatly to Louisiana’s economy.”

The company plans to create 100 new direct jobs for Southwest Louisiana, with an average annual salary of $62,000 plus benefits. The project is also expected to generate 144 additional indirect jobs, state economic development officials said.

“Gulf Islands Shipyard was one of the largest providers of jobs for our parish and when it closed it was a big hit for our parish,” Romano said, noting that discussion to locate the new company in Jeff Davis Parish began earlier this year.

Hiring is expected to begin later the month.

The company is currently updating equipment to retrofit the facility. Site upgrades are expected to be completed by late April with commercial operations beginning soon thereafter, according to the company.

“The reopening of one of our great industrial sites, which for years has been a major employer for our area is certainly fantastic for our parish, region and state,”Jeff Davis Parish Economic Development Chairman Ronnie Petree said

Jeff Davis Parish Police Jury President Steve Eastman is eager to see the shuttered shipyard become productive again.

“Their arrival will bring life back to the old shipyard which was a major employer in the parish since the mid-1950s,” Eastman said. “Creating 100 new permanent full-time jobs will boost the local economy and open employment opportunities for the citizens of the parish.”

Greenberry CEO Jarrett Pugh said the company is looking forward to expanding its operations into Jeff Davis Parish.

“We look forward to partnering with the community in growing our business, while investing in the Jennings site and hiring new Greenberry employees from the local area,” Pugh said.

Jennings Mayor Henry Guinn said Greenberry will be an asset to the city which is looking forward to a long and prosperous relationship.

“Greenberry Industrial’s arrival in Louisiana reinforces our standing as a prime location for advanced manufacturing business investment,” Gov. John Bel Edwards said in a press release. “This project continues Louisiana’s rural revitalization by bringing an underutilized site back into commerce and creating quality jobs in the process.”

Headquarted in Vancouver, Washington, Greenberry is a wholly owned subsidiary of Issaquash, Washington-based NAES Corporation, a service provider for the broader energy industry. It has other facilities in Washington, Oregon, Montana, California and North Carolina.