VIDALIA — BASF’s $20 million expansion is not complete, but has already made an impact on the Miss-Lou’s job market.

The 18-month expansion, announced in December 2011, will expand the size of the plant and add additional processing equipment for absorbents — one of the plant’s products — plant manager Mark Wolverton said. Vidalia’s absorbents are frequently used to remove fluoride and in the petro-chemical industry, Wolverton said.

The expansion is expected to create approximately 10 operator and maintenance jobs, Wolverton said. Though, most of the jobs are filled.

The plant currently has 56 employees. Wolverton said he plans to employ 58 to 60 employees at the Vidalia plant.

Wolverton said the expansion is also adding construction jobs. More than 80 contractors are helping with the plant’s expansion.

Vidalia economic development director Heather Malone said any expansion that adds jobs helps

“Ten jobs may not seem like a lot, but it means something in Vidalia,” Malone said. “The plant jobs don’t even include construction. Building and expanding the plant provides construction jobs as well.”

The expansion is scheduled to finish during the final three months of 2013 Wolverton said.

Once the expansion is complete, Wolverton said the Vidalia plant will be on the cusp of being considered a medium-sized facility.

“BASF has small plants with less than 20 people to upwards of 1,000,” he said. “Once the expansion is complete, I’d classify the plant as a small to medium-sized facility. The plant is going to make our operations more efficient and more competitive.”

The Vidalia plant’s expansion comes after BASF closed its facility in Port Allen, which employed approximately 20 people. The Vidalia plant began producing the same items as the Port Allen plant to ease the transition.

Malone said she hopes the expansion is a sign of things to come.

“The Baton Rouge area has more environmental restrictions and less space,” Malone said. “Vidalia and Concordia Parish have plenty of space and a port that will begin construction soon.”