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Rubber plant accepting applications
Published Monday, May 12, 2008
VIDALIA — With construction of the factory completed, officials at Louisiana Elastomer — the new Vidalia rubber plant, also known as LAEL — have started accepting applications.
The factory’s building has been completed, and the company is in the process of installing equipment, LAEL Chief Executive Officer D. Michael Wells said.
Some work was delayed a little bit by the raised water table caused by the now-receding Mississippi River flooding earlier this spring.
“We’re waiting on an access road to be built,” Wells said. “There’s not seepage water out at the site, but they’re waiting for the water table to drop so they don’t dig down and put the road bed in and have some problems later.”
The company has filled some management positions, and has received a few applications for factory workers, but as of yet is not hiring line workers, Wells said.
When the factory opens, the company will hire approximately 60 workers, and depending on demand for their product, will expand within the next two years.
“We have a total of 150 employees in our five-year plan,” Wells said.
All of the applications for jobs at LAEL are being processed through the Louisiana Department of Labor — also known as Louisiana Works — site in Ferriday.
At the plant, the different elements of used tires will be separated before they are ground for recycling.
The process the factory will use will bond a thin skin to the recycled rubber so the used rubber can be blended at higher concentrations to new rubber products than traditional rubber recycling allows.
Comments
Posted by emp (anonymous) on May 12, 2008 at 1:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I wonder if these will be good-paying jobs or if they will be minimum wage. Sixty good jobs injecting money into the local economy would be nice. Not to mention the taxes they will pay when the initial deal expires.
Posted by frogprincenessntz (anonymous) on May 12, 2008 at 1:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
At this time in our economic climate, any jobs are welcome.
Posted by Teach4Peace (anonymous) on May 12, 2008 at 6:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
To know just how bad things are, it is true, most times ANY job, is better than NO job. Hopefully the plant will experience longevity and the ability to pay decent salaries for the location. The Miss-Lou needs this.
Posted by emp (anonymous) on May 12, 2008 at 8:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
In the late 80's and early 90's while in college I worked for minimum wage and it was very difficult to make ends meet. I'm sure its even worse now. But I agree that minimum wage is better than nothing. And 150 jobs within five years is a lot for any business in this area.
Does anyone know what products the recycled rubber will be used for?
Posted by priya (anonymous) on May 12, 2008 at 8:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I hope everyone has dryers because how much of that rubber plant is going to turn clothes black from hanging outside.
Posted by emp (anonymous) on May 12, 2008 at 8:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Priya, do you think it will cause that much pollution? How widespread to you think it will be?
Posted by justin (anonymous) on May 12, 2008 at 9:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Here comes the negative crap.
Posted by NatchezHighGraduate1993 (anonymous) on May 12, 2008 at 10:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I was thinking the same thing Justin.
Posted by skippydammit (anonymous) on May 12, 2008 at 12:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Think of this one as a "positive" posting for VIDALIA.
Thank goodness that VIDALIA is taking the lead in getting jobs into the Miss-LOU area.
Hopefully Natchez MIGHT get a clue and begin to SERIOUSLY recruit some jobs.
Sadly most of our EDUCATED young people leave this area for other areas where education, culture, entertainment, and JOBS are taken seriously.
MAYBE, just maybe, our area can begin to get more employment opportunities based on things besides "tourism".
Praying and keeping my paws crossed .
:)
Posted by vidalia1 (anonymous) on May 12, 2008 at 12:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hope all goes well...Keep the good attitudes....
Posted by NatchezHighGraduate1993 (anonymous) on May 12, 2008 at 1:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
That is absolutely correct Skippydammit! I left for all of those things. I want to come back, but the vibe I get from reading a lot of the comments in most of the articles are NEGATIVE. To say the least, this negativity is a representation of the city. Who wants to come back and be a part of that?
Who wants to send jobs to a region/state/city/county where negativity hovers like a clouid in the sky? Potential business and corporate people-who perform the demographics on POTENTIAL places of interest for their companies-aren't likely to do so if they continually see some of these comments.
The life in Natchez is at a good pace, especially when you are person like myself who is mid 30's, and has lived in fast paced cities for over 10 years. I make a nice living, have the things I need, but want to slow it back down a bit. Not to mention be around family and a lot of people I grew up with. When I do come home for a visit, I see the change. I see the diversity that has taken place, but it has to continue. All of the negativity can be kept to one's self. We are in an era where people want to be uplifted and find a decent job. The Natchez-Vidalia are may have to sacrifice the environment in order for people to make a living. I don't recall it being an issue when Armstrong was around.....or IP for that matter. Let this industry come in and help the local economy in whatever way it can provide. There is way too much intelligence escaping the area. People like myself would love to come back home and do something wonderful for the community.
Posted by priya (anonymous) on May 12, 2008 at 1:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I like the color black in my clothes so it dont bother me except my uniforms cant be black but I have a dryer so I dont hang out my clothes on a line, and Im glad that a factory is showing up. I hope law abiding citizens will be able to work more. so we can have margaritas soon and be able to gamble more.
Posted by obamayamama (anonymous) on May 12, 2008 at 2:05 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by firered (anonymous) on May 12, 2008 at 3:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thanks for the laugh obama!
Posted by rattlesnake (anonymous) on May 12, 2008 at 3:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you skippydammit .It is about time people see this instead of sitting around with their heads in the sand.
Posted by ProNatchez (anonymous) on May 12, 2008 at 4:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
We need all the new businesses we can get to put our people to work. We need our local government getting out there and trying their best to bring more industry to our area.
Being a brand new plant, it should be green. On the other hand, if it pollutes, we all go picket to shut it down. ;)
Posted by shedevil (anonymous) on May 12, 2008 at 5:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This plant only shreads tires so there will be no carbon black floating around...but dont get excited about the new jobs..i hear most will be filled by prison inmates
Posted by emp (anonymous) on May 12, 2008 at 8:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
shedevil has to be negative because of her political views. priya just wants to get something stirred up.
Posted by papajeff (Jeff McClure) on May 12, 2008 at 8:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Shedevil: Please explain. Since the article says that the jobs will be filled by applications through Louisiana Works, I don't understand how inmates could enter into that equation. They aren't exactly at liberty to put in applications for jobs - their time is pretty much occupied with jail and stuff like that.
Posted by NtzMom55 (anonymous) on May 12, 2008 at 8:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Congratulations Concordia Parish! Hope you will continue to grow and progress.
Posted by shedevil (anonymous) on May 12, 2008 at 9:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
papajeff....the inmates get out during the day to work at jobs taxpayers should have.they are working all over vidalia washing cars,working in restaurants,mechanics,welders and just about any type of labor.
Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on May 12, 2008 at 10:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
this is WONDERUL news about Concordia Parish!!!!! Congrats!!! Keep up the good work Vidalia...Maybe just maybe Natchez will learn from y'all....
Amen to skippydammit.....
Posted by SayItRight (anonymous) on May 13, 2008 at 8:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The more industry that takes a chance on the area, the better. When smaller ones become successful, larger ones can see the benefit of locating there too. You have to start and keep trying and I say - Go Vidalia!
The "If I can't stop it and I won't help it then I'll at least stand in it's way" mentality needs to go away.
Posted by emp (anonymous) on May 13, 2008 at 12:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
shedevil, as I'm quite sure you are aware, work release inmates are doing jobs that no one else wants to do. And Concordia Parish is not the only work release facility in the state. Why are you so against inmates providing for their families?
Posted by imoonu2004 (anonymous) on May 13, 2008 at 4:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
i actually worked on constructing it. not sure about the pollution aspect but i think it has to be melted down and some point to separate the useful rubber from the junk. not real sure but the building is huge so i would assume it's doing more than shredding. the democrat had an article on it a while back that said the rubber will be used for shoes and whatnot. china may even buy some of it.
Posted by emp (anonymous) on May 13, 2008 at 9:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
China needs to buy some of it. Its about time we ship something to them besides money.
Posted by Cursechez (anonymous) on May 14, 2008 at 1:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is much better than a new prison. It's honest work doing well not only for local residents via new jobs, but cleaning up some of our environmental liabilities through re-use.
I'm not sure what process they will be using at the Vidalia plant, but the latest technology uses liquid nitrogen to freeze the tires. Afterwards they are pounded into small pieces where magnets can then easily lift the metal from the rubber bits. This process is very efficient and not nearly as environmentally damaging as burning, melting, and so forth. It allows them to sell the rubber bits to be easily processed into roads, playgrounds, door mats, etc.
PS - If the plant is looking for a bunch of old tires for free, look no further than La. 1 down near Port Fourchon. There are thousands upon thousands of tires dumped in the marshes down there.
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