Aftermarket parts manufacturing and distributing company adds Shreveport facility

Many things cause sparks to fly: lathes, lasers, welders … and great ideas, such as investing a great family-owned, cuttingedge business in a second location where adventuresome weekends on all-terrain vehicles have become a very popular pastime.

Super ATV owner and president Harold Hunt of Madison, Ind., recently joined Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards in announcing his company is investing $4.35 million to develop a manufacturing and distribution facility in Shreveport, where it will specialize in aftermarket parts for a variety of all-terrain vehicles.

According to a spokesperson with North Louisiana Economic Partnership (NLEP), the facility will soon be housed in a 100,000-square-foot building that already exists at 1039 Katy Lane, between Youree Drive and E. Kings Highway.

SuperATV will create 75 new direct jobs with an average annual salary of $40,000, plus benefits. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will result in 42 new indirect jobs, for a total of 117 new jobs in Caddo Parish and the Northwest Region.

“SuperATV is an exciting addition to our roster of quality manufacturers,” Gov. Edwards said. “Louisiana has an outstanding tradition of growing desirable manufacturing jobs, and the federal government has cited Louisiana’s manufacturing workforce as the nation’s most productive. We are happy to welcome this new manufacturing and distribution center to Shreveport as we continue to expand and diversify the economy throughout our state.”

The Shreveport site will be the company’s first expansion beyond its headquarters location in Madison. Since Hunt launched SuperATV from his garage several years ago, it has grown to nearly 500,000 square feet of manufacturing and warehouse space. The company manufactures and distributes a variety of all-terrain vehicle parts under brand names such as Assassinator Tires, Gear Driven Performance and Rhino Axles.

“SuperATV is excited about expanding into the ‘Sportsman’s Paradise,’” Hunt said. “A second location in Louisiana will allow SuperATV to establish the premier retail and shipping location so that we have the opportunity to bring our products to our customer as fast as possible.”

To secure the project, LED offered SuperATV a competitive incentive package featuring the comprehensive workforce solutions of LED FastStart®, the nation’s top-rated state workforce training program. The company also is expected to utilize Louisiana’s Quality Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemption programs.

“The addition of SuperATV is exciting news for our region and for Caddo Parish,” Caddo Parish Commission President Stormy Gage-Watts said. “Caddo Parish is an ideal place for businesses to invest and grow, and SuperATV’s creation of new jobs and capital investments is a testament to the strength of our economy and the potential for even greater development opportunities.”

“SuperATV’s investment in Shreveport is another positive example of how our economy is on the upswing,” NLEP President Scott Martinez said. “We want to thank Vintage Realty Company, an NLEP investor, for its outstanding work on this project, as NLEP provided site selection, permitting and incentive information as well as investor referrals to SuperATV.”

SuperATV started with a passion for offroading that’s probably a lot like yours. Its first product, a two-inch Polaris Sportsman EZ Install lift kit, came as a result of Hunt’s love of riding. The success of the lift kit, based on his own design, led Hunt to set up shop in his garage, which also served as the warehouse and shipping center.

The intent was to fill a small need for offroad enthusiasts, which was the same need he had for better sportsman parts. As the industry exploded and demand grew, so did SuperATV. As demand from avid riders increased, SuperATV’s product line expanded to include a full range of aftermarket parts, from axles to long travel kits.

“We’re still family-owned and familyrun,” Hunt said. “Now, we’re fortunate enough to have a growing SuperATV family who all share our love for riding and the great outdoors, and a drive to add that ‘one more thing’ to make our machines run and perform better. We’re known to load up our trailers on Thursday night in anticipation of the weekend. Come Friday afternoon, we’re ready to hit the road, so we can join up with family and friends and hit the off-road. To us, riding isn’t a hobby. It’s a part of who we are.”