A plastic bag manufacturing plant in Louisiana that escaped the worst of Hurricane Katrina's wrath also survived a near-hit by a Feb. 2 tornado.
Alpine Plastics Inc. of Kenner, La., suffered minimal damage from the early morning tornado, according to Jamak Sheth, chief financial officer for Alpine's parent company, Advance Polybag Inc. of Metairie, La. A tornado passed 10 feet alongside Alpine's plant and pushed a delivery truck into it, causing roof damage and knocking out electrical and phone service.
No one was injured at the 80-person operation.
Sheth stressed that Alpine has sufficient bag inventory for customers to weather its temporary shutdown. Its three other U.S. plants can help out if needed. He said Feb. 3 by phone that he expects Alpine to be back in operation the week of Feb. 6.
Power repair services continue to be slow some five months after Katrina devastated the Louisiana-Mississippi coast, Sheth said.
Hurricane Katrina damaged the roof of Alpine's plant in late August, but it was spared flooding that was so widespread in the area, Sheth said. The site was closed for a month.
Three tornadoes touched down in the Kenner area at about 2:30 a.m. Feb. 2, according to Kenner's director of building inspection and code enforcement, Tim Walker.