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Weatherford intends to relocate most of its non-manufacturing operations and more than 100 jobs away from Terrebonne Parish by next year, three sources who have been briefed on the plans told the Tri-Parish Times last week.
The company, according to sources, will transfer the company’s rentals, fishing and tubular divisions from Houma to Broussard in an effort to consolidate its offices in the Lafayette region.
The manufacturing plant and logistics center in Schriever would not be impacted, sources said.
Those who divulged information requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the company’s behalf. Calls seeking official comment were directed to human resources at Weatherford’s regional office, based in Lafayette. Multiple messages to that office went unreturned.
Beyond consolidation, the motivation behind the prospective move is unclear. The company already has nine addresses in Broussard, according to its corporate website.
The relocation could come as soon as February 2013, one employee briefed on the plans said. Roughly 125 jobs would transfer with the company, though current employees who would be affected have been or will be offered positions in the new location, sources said.
Weatherford’s Grand Caillou Road location will likely be shuttered, according to sources. The company’s East Main Street and South Hollywood Road offices are also in the crosshairs, they said. It is unknown what effect the relocation would have on the packaging center on Thompson Road.
Some parish and regional stakeholders still hope to convince Weatherford to keep the various divisions in Houma. Company officials have agreed to meet with regional stakeholders, but a date has not been agreed upon, a source said.
But because of a lack of direct dialogue, stakeholders aren’t quite sure what corporate enhancements would be placed on the bargaining table in the event of an official meeting.
For instance, locals don’t know if the consolidation is an effort to reduce the workforce, increase efficiency or streamline communication among offices.
Steve Vassallo, CEO of the Terrebonne Economic Development Authority, said he has heard only rumors that Weatherford is relocating.
“I didn’t hear anything from (Weatherford),” Vassallo said. “This was third hand, and I haven’t brought it to (Weatherford’s) attention because I don’t like to deal in rumors. I am working with them on another project right now, and if there’s an opportunity next week – because I’ve got to get back with them again – I can certainly raise the issue, but they’ve made no official declaration to TEDA, to my knowledge.”
Vassallo returned last week from a trip to Weihai, China in pursuit of a potential sister-city agreement.
Days after returning, the TEDA president spoke with a Weatherford official in regard to an infrastructure project related to the manufacturing complex in Schriever. Vassallo said it’s “unusual” that the relocation wasn’t brought up in the conversation.
“I had to talk with the corporate office when I got back, and this subject never came up,” Vassallo said. “That’s why I haven’t officially responded to it, or even brought it to our board’s attention. I’m not saying it’s not valid. … I’m working with them on another project right now, and if this decision had been made, that they wouldn’t have brought it to my attention, I just would find that kind of unusual.”
According to sources, there is little chance that Weatherford won’t go through with the move. It’s all but announced, three people with knowledge of the situation said. Two of the sources said Weatherford has already purchased property in Broussard.
Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet said he was never informed by an official source that Weatherford was relocating.
“I heard (departments in east Houma would be relocating) from somebody the other day, and they said the decision had already been made,” Claudet said. “If we would have heard rumblings before the decision was made, then we would have done whatever we could have to keep them in our area.
“I was told it was final. If I had even thought something differently, I would have leaped over anything I could in order to keep our people in the parish.”
Regardless of how many jobs the company may take with it, the relocation will impact Terrebonne Parish, Claudet said.
“Understand, every job in Terrebonne is extremely important. When we have people move out of our parish, it dislocates our residents. What I really mean is they either have to move or they have to get another job. It causes quite a problem to the people who are employed by that business, and if we can keep them, that’s what we certainly want to do.”
Weatherford, a global company, provides products and services related to drilling, evaluation, production and intervention of oil and natural gas wells.
The company donated a 192,800-square-foot warehouse on 13 acres of property along Industrial Boulevard to the Terrebonne Economic Development Foundation, the non-profit arm of the semi-private TEDA, in 2011. The property was then donated to the Port of Terrebonne.
Weatherford Gemoco donated the property when it moved into its 279,000-square-foot cementation and manufacturing facility off La. Highway 311 in Schriever.
The Louisiana Economic Development praised TEDA in 2007 for intervening in Weatherford’s plans to relocate to Houston and coaxing the company to build its facility in Schriever.
Weatherford’s Houma Manufacturing center, located near the intersection of La. Highway 311 and U.S. Highway 90, would not be impacted if the company goes through on its plans to relocate most of its offices to Broussard, according to sources with knowledge of the plans.
