Lenoir City plant getting employees back to work with new mission

LENOIR CITY, Tenn. (WVLT) After canceled orders caused an East Tennessee manufacturer to lay off employees, they’re bringing folks back to work. Now they are making something different.

GreenLeaf Industries in Lenoir City is known for plastic injection molding. Their main customer the automotive industry, making air vents and other products. They employ about 25 people, but coronavirus is halting car production around the county, meaning orders for parts are too.

"My heart is for my employees and we had to lay them off for automotive our orders have gone to zero," Lawrence Segrest. said. "I want to put my people back to work."

He, and his sister Elizabeth Johnson did just that. Now several of his employees are back on the clock working on a new project.

"We looked and said we can sit around and wait for the government to help us, but hey we’re from Tennessee and we’re small business Segrest, said. "What can we do to get out there and make things happen."

The brother and sister team overseeing the company put their heads together and designed their own face shield. Making its and comfortable and versatile as possible.

"A small child can actually wear this shield, and then also a very large man can also wear this same shield," Johnson said.

While they are hoping for big orders from the state and FEMA, they hope to really take of their own here in East Tennessee.

"If we can help the local people that don’t have access to the things that they need, if we can play a part in that, that really makes me feel good," Segrest said.

If you would like to order one you can email them at shields@greenleaf.biz or call (865) 988-5661.