VIDALIA — If all goes well, Louisiana Elastomer could open its plant in the Vidalia Industrial Park in mid-November.

The high water from the Mississippi River delayed the opening of the plant earlier this year, and LAEL CEO Mike Wells said the company is currently waiting for two pieces of equipment to arrive.

“We hope to have that buttoned up by the end of the month,” Wells said.

After that, the plant has to be inspected and approved by the Department of Environmental Quality and the appraisers from their lenders.

Once those processes are completed, the plant can open for operations, Wells said.

Currently, the company has hired a few people who have been working on installing the equipment they have already received, and plans to add other employees to its workforce through the month, Wells said.

When the factory opens, its workforce will be at approximately 50, and will expand to 75 by the end of the first year of operation, he said.

Anyone who wants to apply for a position there should put in an application at the Louisiana Department of Labor — also known the LaWorks office — in Ferriday.

The company will employ a method of rubber recycling that will allow for a high percentage of recycled rubber to be blended with new rubber.

Traditionally, recycled rubber can only be blended with new rubber at low percentages, but the company has developed a special micro skin that will be bonded to the recycled rubber which will in turn help it better bond with new rubber.

The recycled rubber will be rendered primarily from used tires.

Working with a sister company in Wisconsin, Advac, LAEL already has some orders, and even has an order that will go to China when completed, Wells said.