PONCHATOULA - Governor John Bel Edwards and Jani-King Gulf Coast CEO Thomas Enmon were in Tangipahoa Parish Thursday as the company broke ground on its new headquarters.

The 18,000 square-foot, $4.5 million expansion, to be located northeast of the I-55 interchange with LA 22, will replace the existing location in downtown Ponchatoula.

The company will retain 74 existing jobs in Ponchatoula and create 10 new direct jobs with an average salary of $43,350. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will also create 31 new indirect jobs, for a total of 41 new jobs in the parish.

Launched in 1969, Jani-King is one of the world’s largest commercial cleaning franchise companies with 130 support offices. Jani-King Gulf Coast is the largest master franchise in the Jani-King system, with more than 500 Jani-King franchises stretching from Texas to Georgia.

Jani-King Gulf Coast's current headquarters was first built in Ponchatoula back in 1988.