LAFAYETTE, La (KLFY)– Over 40 new jobs will be created by the expansion of a biotech medical company in Lafayette.

Joe Spell, CEO and founder of Tides Medical, says his company manufactures and distributes skin graft products.

Using donated placentas, he says, the medical company provides amniotic tissue products for patients suffering from chronic or difficult-to-heal wounds like ulcers and burns.

“What we do is we take placentas from planned C-sections that are acquired with partnerships with local hospitals and then we process them here in our clean room and make a patch to treat wounds and various soft tissue conditions.”

A 1.5 million dollar investment with the Louisiana economic development estimates a total of one-hundred and seventy-one jobs being created and retained with the company. With its expansion in Acadiana, Spell says there will be an increase in job opportunities.

“We’re roughly doubling the size of the manufacturing facility and adding about thirty percent to our corporate office, it also diversifies our economy. allows us to be leaders in biotech and help grow the state. “

Techs like Mariah Mouton and Erin Sarver say the expansion is a good thing and will benefit people in the area. They say this will also allow for better production of their products as they manufacture and distribute nationwide.

Mouton says “There’s not a lot of biotechnology jobs around so this is good for a lot of UL and LSU students who are trying to expand but also not go too far from home.”

Sarver says “we’re constantly coming up with new products to introduce to the community, so it helps everybody full circle.”

Spell says it was an easy decision to choose Lafayette as the location for his company and its expansion.

“I wanted to do something completely different and biotech is relatively new to Louisiana. A lot of great hardworking people that can do anything it was really a no-brainer when we chose Lafayette.”

The expansion is expected to complete by the end of the year.

If anyone is interested in learning about how to become a donor or would like to apply for a job, information can be found at www.tidesmedical.com.