VIDALIA, La. &045; Officials of Concordia Parish and its towns are working to land three manufacturing prospects that would bring about 378 jobs.

To put that in perspective, the Johns Manville plant that closed last year in Natchez had 138 jobs.

The closing of International Paper’s Natchez mill, set for later this year, would mean the loss of 640 jobs.

Vidalia Mayor Hyram Copeland visited the prospects Thursday in Baton Rouge.

Others who made the Baton Rouge trip included Ferriday Mayor Glen McGlothin and Teresa Dennis, named earlier this year the parish’s economic and industrial development director.

Why Baton Rouge? &uot;We’re working with them on securing property,&uot; Copeland said.

Copeland won’t name the companies or say what they would manufacture or where they are based.

He did say, however, that all three are out-of-state companies seeking to locate operations in Concordia Parish that would employ 100, 138 and 140 people, respectively.

Next, the prospects will probably visit the Miss-Lou, although Copeland did not say when those visits would take place.

&uot;One of them we’ve probably met with at least two times, and one we had met with once before,&uot; Copeland said.

He added that Dennis has been hard to land the prospects for quite some time.

&uot;As you know, it takes many visits to make these things happen, but we’re encouraged,&uot; Copeland said.