Robinson Carbon Plans Alenandria, Louisiana, Biochar Operations

Area Development News Desk

11/05/2026

Biochar manufacturer Robinson Carbon plans to establish operations in Alexandria, Louisiana. The $16.3 million project is expected to create 42 jobs in Rapides Parish.

The investment will include the construction of a new manufacturing facility at England Airpark featuring two rotary drum pyrolysis reactors capable of converting approximately 100,000 metric tons of Southern Yellow Pine residuals annually into 16,500 metric tons of biochar. Production is scheduled to begin in 2027.

“My great-great-grandfather founded our company in New Orleans in 1893 selling Louisiana longleaf pine,” said Robinson Carbon CEO Garner Robinson. “Since then, the products have changed many times over, but our passion for wood products hasn’t. Biochar is an exciting opportunity to make something truly new out of wood, and we look forward to planting new roots in Central Louisiana. We are grateful to Governor Landry, Secretary Bourgeois, the LED team, and to our partners, for helping us bring this project home to Louisiana.”

To support the project, Louisiana Economic Development (LED) offered an incentives package that includes a $550,000 performance-based grant for site and infrastructure improvements. The company is also expected to participate in the state's High Impact Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemption programs.

“Louisiana has long been a leader in turning our natural resources into products used around the world,” noted LED Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois. “For more than 130 years, the Robinson family has been part of that history, and we are grateful for their continued commitment to Louisiana. Their latest investment reflects how innovation is creating new possibilities across the sectors that have powered our economy for generations, strengthening our competitiveness while extending Louisiana’s foundational industries into new products and markets.”

Robinson Carbon, the carbon products division of Robinson Lumber Company, specializes in converting wood residuals into biochar for industrial and environmental applications.

“Robinson Carbon’s $16.3 million investment is another example of how Central Louisiana is building on its traditional industry strengths to create new economic opportunities,” added Louisiana Central President and CEO Chris Masingill. “By connecting our region’s longstanding timber and wood products industry with innovative manufacturing technologies, this project strengthens our industrial base, creates high-quality jobs, and opens new markets for Louisiana’s natural resources. Investments like this demonstrate that Central Louisiana is well-positioned to compete for the next generation of industry while creating lasting economic opportunities for our people and communities.”

“Robinson Carbon’s investment reinforces England Airpark’s position as a competitive location for advanced manufacturing and industrial development,” said England Economic and Industrial Development District Executive Director Ralph Hennessy. “Our infrastructure, strategic location, and capacity for growth make England Airpark an ideal home for innovative companies like Robinson Carbon. We look forward to supporting the company’s continued success and expansion.”

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