PINEVILLE, LA. — Following recent growth and future staff increases, Crest Industries announced it will invest $2.3 million to build a 22,500 square-foot office building on the company's campus in Pineville, Louisiana.

Crest Industries will begin construction of the expansion in early 2014, with delivery slated for the end of the year. The project will be the fifth building at the company's headquarters.

“Crest Industries' roots are in Louisiana, and we are excited to be a part of building the local economy by locating our latest expansion in Pineville,” said Kenny Robison, president and CEO of Crest Industries. “We want to create quality jobs employing local workers and graduates and continue building freedom and prosperity in our communities. This marks the eleventh overall expansion for Crest Industries companies in the Pineville area since 1981 and we are confident there will be more in the future.”

The State of Louisiana offered an incentive package that includes the services of LED FastStart, a workforce development program. Crest Industries is expected to create 90 new jobs with an average salary of $53,000 per year. Hiring for the facility will begin in upon completion in 2014, with the company expected to reach full employment of 90 new jobs at the Pineville headquarters in 2017. The new jobs created will include roles in engineering, forestry, business development and marketing. In addition, the company will retain 559 existing jobs in Louisiana.

Pineville, included in the Alexandria metropolitan statistical area, saw steady and modest job growth in the last half of 2013 reported the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Additional the area has an unemployment rate of 5.8%, much lower than the national average.

“The expansion of Crest Industries is further evidence of the strength and vitality of Central Louisiana's manufacturing sector,” said President and CEO Jim Clinton of the Central Louisiana Economic Development Alliance.

In November, Crest announced plans for a new $15 million galvanizing plant in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana that will create an additional 70 jobs for the company.

Crest Industries is the holding company for six subsidiaries serving electric utility customers, commercial and industrial electrical contractors, and the forestry industry.