Louisiana boatbuilder opens third manufacturing facility

US-based boatbuilder Metal Shark Boats is expanding its presence in its home state of Louisiana with the addition of a third manufacturing facility.

Metal Shark, which recently sold its Alabama-based ship refit and repair business to Birdon America, opened a 40,000-square-foot (3,716-square-metre) manufacturing facility in Iberia Parish. Together with Metal Shark’s nearby Jeanerette and Franklin production facilities, the company now boasts nearly 200,000 square feet (18,580 square metres) of enclosed manufacturing space spread across 35 acres (14 hectares).

While Metal Shark continues to expand in Louisiana, the company has not vacated Alabama entirely. The builder has retained a portion of its Alabama waterfront to support ongoing training, trials, and autonomous testing.