Deep in the Louisiana Cajun Country, LA Carriers was founded in 1986 as a small barge management firm. Now shipping in excess of 275,000 net tons of cargo annually, LA Carriers chooses Laborde Products to supply powerful Mitsubishi engines. The third such installation for LA Carriers, it allows the company to fulfill its promise of just-in-time delivery.
A recently built 98' tug, M/V Karen Koby, was fitted with twin ABS-certified S12R-Y2MPTK Mitsubishi engines rated 1,260 hp at 1,600 rpm, as well as 50kW FPT generators. "We are pleased to say we are happy with the engines' performance and surprised by the power," said Tommy Plaisance, LA Carriers operations manager. "The difference that really stands out is that the engine has no electronically controlled injectors. That the engine is mechanical, yet meets EPA emission requirements, continues to impress us."
"The personal service we receive vastly outperforms our previous suppliers. Questions are answered and any issues are resolved quickly." Another major Laborde Mitsubishi installation is on the horizon. An inshore 70' x 24' x 9' pushboat will be fitted with two Mitsubishi six-cylinder S6R-Y2MPTK 630 hp, 24.5 liter engines rated at 1,600 rpm. A leading transporter of bulk commodities, LA Carriers is based in Bayou Lafourche. With a broad customer base, the company moves scrap iron, industrial salt, synthetic dirt, urea, fertilizer, coal, grain, oats, rice hulls, high fructose corn syrup and vermiculite.
"Russell and Tommy Plaisance run a great company," said Doug Oehrlein, COO of Laborde Products. "They are smart business people and really smart boat operators, who have a very clear understanding of what works in their operation and they know what they want. Our Mitsubishi big displacement and simple mechanical engine design fits their operation well." Based in Covington, Louisiana, Laborde Products provides high quality diesel products to the US Gulf Coast market. It distributes Yanmar, Mitsubishi, FPT and Hatz Diesel engines. Laborde also packages its own diesel-powered equipment under the Diesel America brand name.