LOOP evolves, plans more storage
May 25, 2016
Death takes no holiday in Chauvin
May 28, 2016
About a year and a half has passed since the shocking announcement that multibillion dollar local business Bollinger Shipyards had been sold to an ownership group headed by the industry leaders who own Edison Chouest Offshore.
But a quick glance at the Lockport-based shipyard today shows that the transition seems to have been a pretty seamless one – even in the face of today’s tough economic climate, which makes running a profitable business harder than it used to be.
Bollinger has continued to succeed under the leadership of its new chief executive officer, Ben Bordelon, the grandson of Donald G. Bollinger – the small-town, hardworking man who founded the company in 1946 as a small-town, family-based shipyard.
When the sale was announced, Bordelon promised to continue to push the company forward into the future.
So far, he seems to be doing just that, securing several Coast Guard contracts for the company, while also helping lead Bollinger to the 2015 Shipbuilders Council of America Award for Excellence in Safety – an honor the company has now earned every year for more than a decade.
“For 11-consecutive years, Bollinger Shipyards (has been) recognized for outstanding performance in workplace safety,” Bordelon said when the honor was announced. “Earning the SCA Award for Excellence in Safety is a testament to our employees’ unwavering dedication and focus.”
It’s a dedication and focus that Bordelon also shares for the company.
Competition and business savvy are two things that are in this man’s blood.
A former LSU football player who had a short run in the NFL, Bordelon took over as president and CEO of Bollinger with loads of expertise in how the company is run.
Bordelon had been a high-ranking official with Bollinger for several years at the time of his appointment.
He was the company’s chief operating officer at the time of the sale.
Bordelon had also been a member of the Bollinger board of directors since 2002, and was the company’s executive vice president of repair.
When the sale was announced, Bordelon, a Central Lafourche High School graduate, said he shared the same vision as his grandfather, and couldn’t wait to bring that vision into action for the shipbuilding company that’s generated billions of dollars worth of contracts since its existence.
“Fishing with my grandfather near the family marsh near Leeville gave me a lot of time to hear stories about his vision, as well as his personal and business life,” Bordelon said. “I look forward to building on the values set out by my grandfather all those years ago. With a commitment to our customers, a deep appreciation for our workers, a strong focus on safety, the clean environment and quality service, we will grow this company as we build on a great base.”
So far, he’s helped to do exactly that.
In March, Bollinger delivered the Donald Horsley to the U.S. Coast Guard – the 17th Fast Response Cutter that the company has given to the USCG.
The ship is slender, but powerful – a 154-foot patrol craft that was named after a Coast Guard hero who distinguished himself in the line of duty.
The vessel has top speeds of 28 knots, and is loaded with a state-of-the-art command center, control communications and computer technology.
“It’s a game changer,” a high-ranking official with the Coast Guard said in a news release.
For Bollinger, it’s a game changer, too.
The company has logged countless hours of work time on the ships, which are built, then deployed around the world for Coast Guard use.
The pipeline will continue into the future, too, as Bollinger executives announced on May 4 that the company had been awarded a contract to build more than two dozen of the cutters – a mark that Bordelon said he’s proud of.
“We are pleased with this award to build 26 FRC Coast Guard cutters,” he said. “Our relationship with the Coast Guard began over 30 years ago and we are proud to continue building on that legacy. This is a testament to the skilled Louisiana-based team of Bollinger employees.
It’s also a testament to just how smoothly things are going for the company, even with the change that it underwent 18 months ago.
New leadership, yes.
But the same award-winning business that provides countless jobs to aid the local economy?
That’s been Bollinger’s way – now 70 years and counting.
“Our company is proud of its accomplishments,” Bordelon said. “We look forward to its future – one which we expect to be very bright.”
Officials with Edison Chouest Offshore declined an offer to be interviewed regarding their role in the transition.
