Humphreys Injection Molds Inc., a custom niche injection molder of outdoor lighting equipment, is relocating from Santa Rosa, Calif., to Bolivar, Tenn. - about 60 miles east of Memphis.
The company will leave behind 5,000 square feet of leased space for a newly purchased, 35,000-square-foot facility in Bolivar. At least one of the seven employees will make the move with owner John Humphreys, who said he is unsure whether the increased space will translate to increased production capacity down the road.
The company makes Electro Elf products used in energy-efficient, compact fluorescent outdoor lighting. The plastic products are able to withstand harsh environments where metal corrosion is common in outdoor electrical equipment, Humphreys said.
About 90 percent of Electro Elf products are made with polycarbonate, Humphreys said. The company also uses polyethylene in some applications.
Before the temporary halt in production to make the move from California to Tennessee, the company was running five injection molding presses, with clamping forces of 25-500 tons.
Humphreys probably will resume manufacturing within the next month.
The owner said the company will keep its current customers, but is unsure whether he'll try to increase his business.
``Whether we start taking on more customers, I don't know,'' he said. ``It's not an impossibility. We're thinking about it.''
Humphreys emphasized that his firm is one geared toward the ``Made in the U.S.A.'' crowd.
``I emphasize those words,'' he said. ``These jobs are not going overseas.''
