Eastman, which has about 700 employees in Henry County, has been named to Forbes’ list of 2019 America’s Best Large Employers.
Eastman was ranked 133rd out of 500 large employers, who are defined as companies with more than 5,000 U.S. employees, according to a news release from Eastman. This is the second consecutive year Eastman has made the list, ranking 232nd in 2018.
Companies are chosen based on the opinions of American workers. The most important factor in determining a company’s ranking comes from the likelihood of current employees recommending the company to family or friends, the release states.
“This recognition reflects the fact that our people matter,” said Mark Costa, board chairman and CEO of Eastman. “Our team members are the key to Eastman’s success and to fulfilling our purpose of enhancing the quality of life in a material way. The significant gain that we made on the list this year is an indication that we are pursuing a mission and a vision that our team believes and finds meaningful. For any company, that is the greatest reward.”
In collaboration with the analytics firm Statista, Forbes asked 50,000 American employees working for large firms or institutions to rate, on a scale of 0 to 10, their willingness to recommend their own companies.
In addition, participants were asked to evaluate other employers that stood out either positively or negatively in their respective industries.
The employees who took part in the survey were consulted anonymously through several online access panels, not through their employers. The mix of respondents (gender, age, region and ethnicity) in the sample represents American employees, the release added.
Eastman Chemical is the leading global manufacturer of performance films for the automotive and architectural markets. The corporation’s third largest facility is located in Fieldale in Henry County, according to the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corp. (EDC).
Built in 1956, Eastman purchased the facility and business from Solutia Performance Films in 2012. The following year, Eastman announced a $40 million expansion to be carried out over the next three years. This facility is now one of the largest and most integrated window and performance-coated film manufacturing sites in the world.
Eastman also operates film manufacturing and distribution facilities at the Patriot Centre industrial park. The company acquired the former Commonwealth Laminating & Coating in 2014, adding an experienced workforce and Commonwealth’s expertise, paint protection technology, brand and channels to its portfolio, the EDC states on its website.
Worldwide, Eastman employs about 14,500 people and has customers in more than 100 countries. The company had 2018 revenues of approximately $10 billion and is headquartered in Kingsport, Tenn.
