“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 added.

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 protect and enhance forklift operations.

Additional improvements include enclosing the Evergreen’s 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 also 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 recycling 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 community’s 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,” Secretary Canfield said.

Dent said the South Alabama Workforce Development Council will coordinate the AlabamaWorks partnership, and 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.