Hybrid-boat builder to work out of Louisiana plant

A new boat manufacturer is moving into the Caddo Manufacturing plant in Vivian, La.

Epic Wake Boats has announced it will use the facility and the plant's work force to produce its electric and hybrid boats. The company's plans also include producing two recreational electric cars at the facility, The Shreveport Times newspaper reports.

Epic officials say they hope to employ more than 400 people at the plant during the next few years.

While building boats is nothing new to Caddo Manufacturing, the technology is new. Epic employs green technology and its electric boats produce no emissions. The hybrid model, which requires diesel to keep the battery charged, produces very low emissions.

Hundreds of people lost jobs a few years ago when VIP Boats went bankrupt. Caddo Manufacturing LLC formed to pull the company out of bankruptcy, but employment levels had been dwindling.

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