Ennis-Flint, Inc., the largest manufacturer and supplier of pavement marking products in the world, plans to open a new manufacturing plant in High Point.
The new facility, which will be on Eagle Hill Drive, is expected to open later this year and create 30 full-time jobs as well as some seasonal jobs in a city that’s seen an impressive growth in new manufacturing jobs in recent years.
Ennis-Flint, which makes traffic safety and pavement marking products used in more than 90 countries, currently has 25 manufacturing plants on five continents. The new High Point plant will focus on preformed pavement markings used at crosswalks and used in or on the pavement of highways and roads. It will also make surface signage for airport runways.
This is the second time in the brand new year that a company has decided to bring new manufacturing jobs to Guilford County. Future Foam – which makes cushioning for upholstery and other foam products – is expected to add 25 jobs this year with an $8.5 million expansion at 1300 Prospect St. in High Point.
High Point Economic Development Corp. President Loren Hill said the Guilford County Economic Development Alliance (GCEDA) has been really trying to get the word out there that Guilford County is the place for manufacturing and he added that it’s fitting the first two projects of 2019 both bring more manufacturing jobs.
“We’ve been bragging that Guilford County is number one in manufacturing,” Hill said, pointing out that the county leads all 100 counties in the state in the number of manufacturing jobs.
Hill added that Guilford County ranks very high in the southeast in that regard as well, so companies interested in expanding manufacturing often do look hard at this area.
“We already have a strong manufacturing base in Guilford County,” Hill said. “We have a workforce that’s used to making things with their hands.”
Ennis-Flint also has plans to expand a Thomasville plant that makes pavement-marking products.
