Patrick Caraway, vice president and chief financial officer of Fibrebond, addressed the Minden Lions Club on December 7, shedding light on the company’s current $43 million expansion initiative. Fibrebond, founded by Claud Walker in 1982, has been a key player in manufacturing engineered-to-order buildings, catering to the data center, fiber, industrial, utility, and wireless markets.
Caraway commended the strong work ethic of the workforce in northwest Louisiana, emphasizing the pivotal role they play in the company’s success.
“There is nowhere else in the country that we see the work ethic that people have in northwest Louisiana,” said Caraway. “I wouldn’t trade these people for the world. It’s the guys out there in the plant that make this happen.”
With over 500 employees, Fibrebond significantly contributes to the local economy, employing nearly 300 residents of Webster Parish and approximately 150 from adjacent parishes, along with over 200 electrical and mechanical contract workers.
In 2023 alone, Fibrebond made a substantial economic impact, disbursing over $10 million to vendors in Minden. Caraway attributes this success to the company having a single manufacturing facility located in northwest Louisiana.
Despite facing adversity in 1998 when a fire devastated their facility, Fibrebond rebounded with resilience, reopening a new plant within 11 months. Over the years, they diversified their product line, manufacturing innovative precast concrete and steel products for various applications in the data center and industrial markets.
The current expansion involves adding 74 acres, totaling 253 acres, and enhancing infrastructure. This includes increasing parking capacity by 178 spaces, introducing a 90,000 square foot high-performance concrete slab for larger industrial assemblies, and expanding the warehouse building by 80,000 square feet. Automation upgrades include an integrated beam line and a 100-foot plasma table with two robotic heads for in-house steel plate processing. Beams up to 71 feet in length will be automatically conveyed to one of six welding stations, each with its own 20-ton overhead crane.
Recognizing the environmental impact of their operations, Fibrebond is integrating sustainability measures by incorporating a one-megawatt solar array to self-generate renewable power. The expansion, slated for completion in 2024, will double Fibrebond’s capacity for data center and industrial projects, solidifying its position as a cornerstone of economic growth in Minden, Louisiana.
The Lions Club has interesting speakers every Thursday at noon. They meet at the American Legion Memorial Hall located at 119 Pine Street, and they welcome new members who share the mission of community service in Minden.