It’s Acadiana: Out To Lunch

Hosted ByChristiaan Mader

OUT TO LUNCH finds journalist Christiaan Mader conducting business Acadiana style: over lunch. Each week Christiaan invites guests from Acadiana's business community to join him. Beyond the foundations of the Acadiana economy - oil, cuisine, music - there is a vast network of entrepreneurs, small businesses, and even some of the country's largest companies who call Acadiana home. Out to Lunch is the cafeteria of the wider Acadiana business community. You can also hear the show on KRVS 88.7FM.

Sparkly 3D – Out to Lunch – It’s Acadiana

When we talk about “manufacturing” in the United States it’s usually in the context of how many big ticket items like cars are no longer made in Middle America. Louisiana is practically never mentioned in discussions about manufacturing. But there’s a surprisingly active manufacturing community here in Acadiana. A lot of it is based on making products – large and small – for the oilfield. But, despite what you might think, over the last 20 years while the manufacturing base in the rest of the country has shrunk, in our part of the world it has continued to grow.

We’ve featured companies as diverse as Stuller Inc and Begnaud Manufacturing on this show. Today Peter introduces two members of the next generation of Louisiana manufacturers.

Jacques Dugal

Jacques Dugal is the founder of a company called Idea Zoo.  Idea Zoo specializes in combining 3D Printing and Laser Cutting to produce a range of products primarily made of plastic or wood. If you’re not sure exactly what “3D Printing” is, Jacques explains all, and dissects the current state of the 3D consumer revolution. 

Grayson Carroll

Grayson Carroll is a jeweler at Artisan Jewelers in Lafayette.  Grayson grew up in the jewelry business – his father, Sam, is a co-owner of Artisan – and although Grayson spent years working in the ski fields in Colorado and the oilfield in Acadiana, since 2010 he’s been designing and making jewelry back here in Lafayette. 

 peter ricchiuti, grayson carroll, jacques dugal

Photos at Cafe Vermilionville by Gwen Aucoin.