UPS Midstream Services Inc. plans to invest more than $3.9 million to develop a new full-service machine facility that will provide welding, fabrication, and equipment overhaul and repair, in Jena, Louisiana.

The new UPS Midstream Services facility will manufacture reciprocating compressor equipment, commonly used in many different industries, including refineries, power plants and companies in the petrochemical industry. The Jena facility will work primarily with companies that service pipelines across the United States.

The facility, part of Universal Plant Services Inc., will create 95 new jobs that will require specialized skill in a facility that features state-of-the-art, computer numerical control machines.

Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will also create 121 new indirect jobs, for a total of more than 200 new jobs in the Central Louisiana region. UPS Midstream said it selected Jena in order to better reach its customers in the South. The company also was attracted to the area for the local talent and expertise in the natural gas industry, a key industry served by UPS Midstream. The new direct jobs created by the construction of the facility will be added to UPS Midstream's 400 current employees.

"Universal Plant Services is excited to continue our growth in the state of Louisiana with our investment in Jena to serve midstream operations across the United States," said CEO Bradley T. Jones of UPS Midstream Services. "We are pleased to be working with the Louisiana Economic Development team, which has done a great job of helping us plan for success in Jena and across the state."

Gov. Bobby Jindal said; "Today is a great day for Central Louisiana and for our entire state. UPS joins a long list of companies who are choosing to invest here in Louisiana. The company looked closely at investing in other states, but chose Central Louisiana because of the local talent and expertise in the natural gas industry, and our state's strong business climate."

As an incentive to secure the project, the state offered the company a performance-based, $272,000 Economic Development Award Program grant and the customized screening, hiring and training services of LED FastStart, the state’s workforce development training program. The company also is expected to utilize the Quality Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemption incentive programs for its Jena project.

Construction of the new UPS facility will begin in January and be completed in June 2013. Hiring for the project is underway, with 35 jobs to be filled in the first year, increasing to 95 jobs by 2017.