Honeywell Performance Materials and Technologies completed its $300 million manufacturing facility for automotive refrigerants in Geismar, Louisiana.

The new facility, which is expected to create 55 jobs, produces Honeywell’s fast-growing Solstice HFO-1234yf refrigerant that’s currently adopted in 20 million vehicles and expected to reach 40 million vehicles by year’s-end.

According to company officials, the Geismar plant represents one of many recent investments by Honeywell at its four Louisiana sites. At an advanced materials site and an adsorbents plant, both in Baton Rouge; at a catalysts plant in Shreveport; and at the Geismar Performance Materials and Technologies complex, Honeywell has completed $915 million in new capital investment projects and created 118 new direct jobs in the past four years, bringing statewide employment to 816 direct jobs, not including contractors.

“Whether we are restoring Louisiana’s coastline or producing next-generation products for more efficient vehicles, innovation is key to our way of life in Louisiana,” Governor John Bel Edwards said. “It’s important that we continually look for ways to improve our economic performance. By working with companies like Honeywell to engineer innovation in our manufacturing processes, we are securing existing jobs and building a blueprint for better, more sustainable jobs in the future.”

“Honeywell has continued to invest in our manufacturing facilities in Louisiana,” division President & CEO Rajeev Gautam. “The support of the State of Louisiana, as well as local governments, was key in our decision to invest in the production of key new Solstice products at our Louisiana facilities. This has resulted in a central hub in Louisiana to manufacture our full portfolio of Solstice products. Honeywell has invested nearly $1 billion in R&D and manufacturing capacity to bring next-generation air conditioning, refrigeration, aerosol and foam insulation products to consumers around the world.”

“This new Honeywell plant means jobs and income for Louisianans, but the products it will manufacture will deliver environmental benefits around the world,” said Dr. Chuck Carr Brown, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality secretary. “This is an example of an industry being proactive, thinking ahead and meeting an environmental need before it becomes critical.”

“AEDC is thrilled Honeywell has chosen to expand their operations and employment base in Ascension Parish,” said President & CEO Kate MacArthur of the Ascension Economic Development Corp. “We appreciate not only the investment in our community, but the investment this innovative product makes in our global environment.”

“This project has been a multiyear collaboration between the State of Louisiana, the Capital Region and Honeywell, and we are thrilled to celebrate its completion,” said President & CEO Adam Knapp of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber. “Honeywell is producing highly competitive, environmentally friendly products and we are proud to have them as a partner in job creation and economic development of our region.”