VIDALIA — Vidalia will soon be home to 25-30 new jobs once Advance Building Supplies, a manufacturer of custom oilfield buildings, erects a plant in Vidalia.

“We’re excited about (ABS) coming because its good paying jobs,” Vidalia Mayor Hyram Copeland said following Tuesday’s specially called board of aldermen meeting.

The Vidalia Board of Aldermen approved the sale on Tuesday of 13.22 acres of land for $99,150 at the Vidalia industrial park, where ABS will locate its facility. A company created by ABS called Vidalia Development, LLC., bought the land for the purpose of the transaction.

“They’ll probably start construction in 30 days,” McLemore said.

McLemore said ABS, which is headquartered in Houston, also shares ownership with the company Oilfield Instrumentation, which has one of its sites located in Ferriday.

The company will build a computerized robotic welding and shearing facility at the site in Vidalia to complement its operations located on Louisiana 15, a press release says.

ABS employs 14 people at the current Ferriday facility and spends between $2 million and $3 million in the local economy on raw materials, ABS owner Allen Stuart said in the release.

“We are very enthusiastic about this opportunity to add economic benefits to our local community while simultaneously growing our company,” Stuart said.

ABS has 10 manufacturing facilities located across the country, a release says.

McLemore said ABS already has contracts with companies who want their product.

The company is now using 18-wheelers to transport their product, McLemore said, but river travel would be ideal eventually.

“That’s why it’s imperative to get the port,” Copeland said.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, Grant Coordinator Teresa Dennis said the city received tentative approval for a $125,000 grant to build a port access road from the Delta Regional Authority.