Eastman Chemical Company, the largest traditional manufacturer in the Tennessee Valley, is headquartered in Kingsport. It sells over 400 different chemicals, fibers, and plastics to more than 7,000 industrial customers worldwide. Although the economies of these areas are diverse, there are similarities.
Manufacturing remains a core component, but most of the job growth has occurred in services.
Auto-related manufacturing, in particular, has seen good job growth over the whole region in the 1990s. Denso Manufacturing Tennessee Inc., based in Blount County, makes an assortment of auto electrical components. It projected total employment of 900 jobs when established in 1990, and today the company employs more than 1,600 and continues to expand. Mahle Inc. One reason cited for Hawkins County's selection was the local, state, and TVA cooperation. State assistance included funds for employee training in math, reading, and metric-measurement skills to enhance their competence and flexibility.