SLIDELL, La. — Tuff Equipment Rentals, Slidell, La., moved to a new location about four miles north of its old facility, which suffered severe damage and flooding from Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

“We moved back into the old facility pretty quickly after the storm, but we outgrew it,” Tuff owner Ralph Kastner told RER. “We had about 3,000 square feet of showroom before, now we have an 18,000-square-foot air-conditioned building, plus a 10,000-square-foot shop building.” The new facility is more than twice the size of the previous one. Kastner added that the new location, located on higher ground about 25 feet above sea level, would keep equipment safer in the event of another major hurricane.

Kastner said the Slidell area is enjoying solid growth since Hurricane Katrina, with new subdivisions, office buildings, schools and hospitals going up. “A lot of people who had their homes wiped out in New Orleans have moved here,” Kastner said. He added that the sale of contractor supplies has been a strong business for Tuff during the building boom.