Tenax Corp. plans to invest $1 million on improvements and new production machinery at its manufacturing facility in Evergreen, where it has operated for three decades, according to Conecuh County Economic Development.

In addition, Tenax will create eight to 12 jobs tied to an initiative to make the plant more efficient and environmentally friendly by fall.

Baltimore, Maryland-based Tenax is known for its trademark orange plastic safety fencing, a product that has inspired many imitators. The company makes specialty products for netting, pipe protection, construction, agriculture, gardening and DIY applications.

“The Tenax expansion is providing the spark our community needs to demonstrate Conecuh County is the place to be,” said Jessica Dent, director of Conecuh County Economic Development.

“Combined with their investment and the Alabama workforce programs, we are adding jobs, upskilling employees and taking care of the environment – this really demonstrates partnerships in action,” Dent said.

Tenax Corp. plans to invest $1 million on improvements and new production machinery at its manufacturing facility in Evergreen, where it has operated since 1992. The project will create up to a dozen jobs. (Tenax)

Growth potential

As outlined by Conecuh County Economic Development, Tenax’s expansion project has many facets.

To continuously improve the work environment, the company will invest in improved air quality and flow improvements for the production floor. To elevate safety, overhead doors will be installed to protect workers from extreme weather and to enhance forklift operations.

Additional improvements include enclosing the outdoor warehouse to add a plastic reprocessing machine. This machine will allow Tenax to reuse its generated plastic scrap, creating an environmentally conscious full-cycle process.

Tenax will install in-house recycling machinery to repurpose excess waste back into the manufacturing process, an addition that is part of the company’s zero-waste initiative.

Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, said Tenax’s decision to reinvest in the Evergreen facility is welcome news for the economy.

“Opportunities abound for companies in Alabama’s rural areas, and we are committed to helping unlock the growth potential present in communities like Evergreen, allowing them to benefit from the energizing effect of new investment and job creation,” Canfield said.

Dent said the South Alabama Workforce Development Council will coordinate the AlabamaWorks partnership, and will collaborate with state and local workforce partners in Conecuh County to provide education and training for the new manufacturing processes at Tenax.

Conecuh County Economic Development is a joint partnership between the Conecuh County Commission and the city of Evergreen.

This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website.