When Steelscape Inc. decided to open an expansive manufacturing and production facility in Shreveport, it was not without first doing its homework.

The transportation infrastructure was there, with a good mixture of rail, highway and barge access through the Port of Shreveport-Bossier. Furthermore many of Steelescape's customers are within an eight- to 12-hour drive.

And while the hurricane season of 2005 certainly made things more difficult for the Kalama, Washington-based company, Plant Manager Anthony Bilow said the decision to remain committed to Louisiana was an easy one to make.

"There's a lot of opportunity here," Bilow said. "You have a very, very highly educated workforce, very intelligent people, great infrastructure. The overall business climate is conducive to good business."

"We did a complete market study in Louisiana. We are here for the long haul. We had long ago decide that we were going to stay here and this is where we wanted to locate from a logistical point of view."

A manufacturer of cold-rolled, metallic-coated and painted steel coils for the construction market, Steelscape is amid a four-phase project at its Shreveport site. The first of the four planned buildings, the painting facility, began production April. A metal coating line, the second facility, is scheduled to be in operation by the end of November.

Sales tax rebates from both Caddo Parish and the state of Louisiana will save Steelscape millions. To the Shreveport-Bossier area, the facility's arrival will mean about 240 new high-skilled jobs and an annual economic impact of $400 million, according to local economists.

"Steelscape is very proud and happy to be here," said Bilow. "We truly enjoy the area, we enjoy the people, the structure, the business structure. And the economic community has welcomed us with open arms, and we'd like to thank them for that."

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