How strategic expansion, experience in the marine industry and a customer-first approach defined a transformative year for Laborde Products.
Laborde Products entered 2024 with a clear mission: to become the leading engine provider for the marine industry. Over the past year, the company expanded its dealer network, invested in facilities, and reinforced its commitment to delivering unparalleled support to its customers. This growth, while impressive, was far from accidental.
“Customer experience with our engines and the unfortunate challenges they have been experiencing with our competitors’ engines are the biggest drivers of our growth,” said Brian Laborde,President and CEO of Laborde Products. “Laborde is completely focused on the maritime industry while other engine manufacturers focus on many different markets.”
Strategic Growth Across Key Markets
Laborde Products’ targeted expansion in 2024 solidified its presence in key regions, strengthening support for operators across diverse marine markets.
Inland Waterways
Laborde’s expansion into the inland river market reached new heights in 2024, with the announcement of its new Paducah, KY, facility, set to open next year. This centralized hub will provide engines, parts, and service resources for upriver operators.
“As our presence has grown in the upriver market, it is necessary for us to have a strategic location for engines, parts, and service to support the market,” Laborde said. “This location will provide us with an operational launch pad that is centralized in the upper river region and allow us to improve the customer experience for our operators in the area.”
The company’s growing dealer network, which includes the addition of United Diesel Power in Memphis and Western Branch Diesel with locations in Ohio and Kentucky, has been instrumental in supporting operators.
“We depend on our dealer network throughout the country to provide support for our operators in areas where we cannot directly support our customers,” Laborde explained. “Our dealer network is strategically positioned to ensure operators receive the support they need, wherever their vessels are located,” Laborde explained. “With the expertise and resources to handle maintenance and repairs efficiently, these partnerships allow us to minimize downtime and keep our customers’ operations running smoothly, even in more remote areas.”
East Coast Expansion
Laborde’s partnerships on the East Coast have also grown, with Windward Power and Western Branch Diesel helping to expand its presence in the fishing and commercial marine markets.
“Windward has done an exceptional job of representing and developing the Mitsubishi brand on the East Coast and specifically within the fishing market,” Laborde said. “The market they support is unique and requires strong relationships to gain the trust of the operators. The team at Windward shares the core values of Laborde, and this partnership gets stronger each year.”
Laborde is equally optimistic about its new partnership with Western Branch Diesel, which covers areas from Virginia to South Carolina.
“These guys have a long history of success in many markets, and they share the values and commitment to support that has been the core of our success with Mitsubishi,” Laborde said. “Western Branch brings a strong support base and strategically located service facilities, along with a dedicated sales team focused on helping operators access Mitsubishi engines and make informed decisions for their fleets.”
Gulf Coast Milestones
The Gulf Coast continues to be a core market for Laborde, and the company made significant moves to strengthen its presence in the region. The relocation to a larger facility in Deer Park, TX, was driven by the need for additional space to accommodate growth.
“We built our previous office about five years ago with the intent to grow into the facility; unfortunately, we did not build it large enough,” Laborde said. “We are extremely excited to complete our new 3000 HP dyno installation at our new facility in Houston and to provide our customers and the industry with additional dyno capacity and engine testing capability. This dyno should be online in Q2 of 2025.”
At the same time, Laborde is investing at its Covington, LA, headquarters, with plans to construct a 30,000 sq. ft. operational facility and a 20,000 sq. ft. warehouse.
“The new 30,000 sq. ft. operational facility will centralize our service, production, and engineering teams in a space designed for streamlined workflows,” Laborde said. “It’s an investment in efficiency, safety, and the continued growth of our capabilities to better support our customers.”
Navigating Challenges and Opportunities
Laborde has taken a logical approach to emissions regulations, focusing on practical improvements that make fleets cleaner and more efficient without creating unnecessary burdens for operators.
“At Laborde Products, we try to take a logical approach to the need for emission improvement for the marine industry,” Laborde said. “The impact of bringing a Tier 0 diesel engine to Tier 3 is substantially greater than some of the unrealistic and cost-prohibitive advancements that are being pursued today.”
While the addition of DEF and SCR systems has introduced challenges, particularly in space-constrained engine rooms, Laborde remains confident in the industry’s ability to adapt.
“The engine rooms in our industry’s vessels are not designed with extra space to spare,” Laborde said. “These challenges will take time to work through, but the industry will adapt and meet the new requirements set by the government.”
Laborde’s commitment to supporting operators through these transitions remains steadfast. By offering engines that balance regulatory compliance with practical design, the company continues to help operators achieve their goals while minimizing disruptions.
“As the industry evolves, our role is to provide solutions that not only meet today’s regulations but also deliver lasting value,” Laborde added. “We’re here to help operators navigate these changes with confidence and keep their fleets running strong.”
Looking Ahead to 2025
Laborde enters 2025 with strong momentum, focusing on settling into its new facilities and strengthening its team in Paducah. The company is also preparing for the cyclical nature of the marine industry, with plans to stock engines, generators and the parts to meet anticipated demand.
“We believe 2025 will be a growth year for Laborde Products,” Laborde said. “I hope to see the team continue to come together to achieve our goal of delivering a great experience for our engine operators everyday.”
With strategic investments and a steadfast focus on the needs of marine operators, Laborde Products is well-prepared to lead the way into 2025—building on a legacy of reliability, innovation, and operator-first solutions.
