VIDALIA — The Louisiana Elastomer plant has started limited operations.

The company received permission from the Department of Environmental Quality to begin operations 11 days ago, and so the company began some operations at that time, President and Chief Executive Officer Mike Wells said.

“We received authorization from the DEQ to commence operations, and we are ramping up to do those now,” he said.

Currently, 15 employees are working for the company, and the company is in the process of hiring more, Wells said.

“We will continue to add people in the coming weeks,” he said.

The company is taking applications through the Louisiana Workforce office in Ferriday.

When the facility is brought to full capacity will depend on sales, which will in part be determined by the broader economic climate, Wells said.

“We are still working some on supply,” he said.

Vidalia Mayor Hyram Copeland said he is excited to see the plant begin operations.

“I think it will be a tremendous asset to our community, and we are looking forward to working with them in the months and years to come,” Copeland said. “I want to commend them for coming to the Miss-Lou and making a commitment to the area. Hopefully this will be the beginning of more industries coming to the area, which will result in job creation.”

Plans for the LAEL plant were first announced in 2003, and the company broke ground for its facility — which is located at the intersection of Louisiana 131 and D.A. Biglane Road — in July 2007.

The plant will be used to recycle rubber, primarily used tires. The company has developed a process that allows recycled rubber to be blended with new rubber in a higher concentration than recyclers have traditionally been able.

The recycled rubber will be rendered in sheets, which will be sold for uses that vary from roofing to shoes.

The $10 million investment is the first facility built in the second Vidalia industrial park.