KEY TAKEAWAYS: Coastal Machine Supply will invest $25.5 million to expand its Carencro manufacturing facility. The project is expected to create 129 direct jobs and retain 58 existing positions. LED estimates another 111 indirect jobs, bringing the potential impact to 240 new jobs in Acadiana . Construction is expected to begin this fall, with the first phase completed before August 2027.   Coastal Machine Supply plans to invest $25.5 million to expand its Lafayette Parish manufacturing operations, a project expected to create 129 direct jobs as the company grows its aerospace and defense business. The Carencro-based precision manufacturer will expand its existing facility at 4832 NE Evangeline Thruway, beginning with a 20,000-square-foot addition. The company could add up to another 100,000 square feet in subsequent phases. The expansion will increase Coastal Machine Supply’s capacity to manufacture large, complex precision components and support additional engineering and workforce needs. The company expects to retain 58 existing jobs. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will also generate 111 indirect jobs, bringing the potential employment impact to 240 new jobs in the Acadiana region. Construction is expected to begin this fall, with the first phase scheduled for completion before August 2027. Founded in Carencro in 2004, Coastal Machine Supply initially focused on serving the Gulf Coast oil and gas industry. The company has since expanded into precision manufacturing for the aerospace, space and defense sectors. “Six years ago, Coastal made a deliberate bet: that the same precision, discipline and workmanship that served the Gulf’s energy industry could serve the nation’s space and defense programs. That bet is paying off,” CEO Kody Guidry said. Guidry said the company’s experience in the oil and gas industry and the region’s manufacturing workforce have helped support its diversification into new industries. He also pointed to SpaceX’s planned investment in Louisiana as evidence of the state’s growing role in the space sector. Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois said the expansion demonstrates how Louisiana manufacturers are using expertise developed in traditional industries to pursue opportunities in aerospace and defense. “Louisiana’s greatest strength has always been the people and businesses that know how to build, adapt and innovate,” Bourgeois said. “For more than two decades, Coastal Machine Supply has built on its roots in Louisiana’s energy industry to develop advanced manufacturing capabilities that now serve aerospace, space and defense.” The state offered Coastal Machine Supply an incentive package that includes LED FastStart workforce development services. The company is also expected to participate in Louisiana’s High Impact Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemption programs. Lafayette Economic Development Authority President and CEO Mandi Mitchell said the agency has worked with Coastal Machine Supply for years and helped make the case for parent company Medora Manufacturing to continue investing in Lafayette Parish. “Coastal’s strategic diversification into aerospace and defense showcases the innovation and adaptability of our local manufacturers and positions the company for tremendous growth,” Mitchell said. Coastal Machine Supply specializes in manufacturing large, complex components for defense, space and oil and gas applications. The company is owned by Medora Manufacturing, which invests in U.S. manufacturers serving the aerospace, space and defense industries. ...read more read less