A Louisiana manufacturer with more than 90 years of history in Shreveport is making another investment in the state, adding major production capacity while retaining more than 500 existing jobs.
Frymaster LLC plans to invest $11.5 million to expand its Caddo Parish operations with a new 300,000-square-foot facility. Louisiana Economic Development says the project is expected to create 47 direct jobs while retaining 511 current positions. LED estimates another 66 indirect jobs could result, for a total of 113 potential new job opportunities in northwest Louisiana.
More Room for Production and Product Development
Frymaster manufactures commercial cooking equipment used by restaurants and foodservice operations. The expansion is intended to provide additional space for manufacturing, product development and future growth. Initial manufacturing operations are expected to begin in late 2026.
A Different Kind of Louisiana Manufacturing Story
The project is far smaller than the multibillion-dollar data centers and heavy-industrial investments that have dominated Louisiana economic-development news this year. But it highlights another part of the state's manufacturing base: established companies that continue investing after decades in Louisiana.
Retaining 511 existing jobs is particularly important. Economic development is not only about recruiting a new employer; it also involves keeping established operations competitive enough to remain and expand.
Why Expansion of Existing Plants Matters
Large industrial announcements can create thousands of construction jobs, but existing manufacturers provide another kind of economic stability. Their workforces, suppliers and operating relationships are already embedded in local communities.
The $11.5 million Frymaster expansion will not reshape Louisiana's economy by itself. But retaining more than 500 jobs while adding new production space is the kind of incremental industrial growth that can be easy to overlook when billion-dollar projects dominate the headlines.
Source Notes
Louisiana Economic Development, Sept. 15, 2026: https://www.opportunitylouisiana.gov/news/shreveport-built-frymaster-invests-in-its-next-generation-of-manufacturing
