With the recent increase in flooding nationwide, the main concern of the affected areas is the supply of barriers to hold off the flooding. Providing some of this supply is the Hammond-based company HESCO Bastion USA.

Originally started in the United Kingdom to provide an alternative sandbag type barrier to the military, HESCO-USA produces civilian-based barriers to be used in flooding. Using the same style of barrier, HESCO-USA provides durable flood protection throughout the nation with their “Concertainer” barrier series.

According to HESCO-USA’s Web site  the concertainer series design employs a cell-like framework, each unit able to contain a considerable amount of sand, gravel or rock. They can be used either temporarily or for a  long term.

“Flood protection was always a strong application for the Concertainer units, but we really started to gain recognition after the 2008 ‘500 Year Flood’ in Iowa,” said Jared Lyons, director of accounting at HESCO-USA. The flooding occurred in June of 2008 when the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids, Iowa swelled up and overflowed the levees and banks, reaching 500-year record  flood levels.

“Our units were used by the University of Iowa and a number of other entities in and around Iowa City,” said Lyons. “Since that time we have been very busy during the different flood seasons.”

HESCO-USA also makes a barrier that is unique to Louisiana for usage in wetlands or on the shorelines.

“We do make a unit only at this location called the Delta unit that is filled with sand in the back for weight and stability, but the face of the unit is filled with oyster shells that we are using in some coastal applications,” said Lyons.  “Giving strength and stimulating growth with a natural product on the face of the unit.”

In addition to being a local business, HESCO USA also is host to Southeastern alumni.

“We do have a number of alumni that work in different positions,” said Lyons.  “The ones that come to mind are a recently hired SLU Alum who is our office manager, I have a new alumnus (May ‘11) that was on the Southeastern basketball team that is a key part of our production team and I went to Southeastern for my undergrad and graduate degree.”

HESCO-USA is dedicated to bringing protection to the people who need it.

“We make a product that is mainly used by municipalities, governments, commercial and industrial entities to speed up the time to prepare for a flood situation and increase the amount of area that can be protected,” said Lyons.  “Our employees, from the president of the company to the guys that have only been with us a few weeks, take great pride in helping the people in Louisiana, our own backyard, as well as people in similar flooding situations all over the country and North America.”