Tropical blues, marshy greens, and an orange sunset may be some of the colors you imagine when picturing the Eastern Shore—but did you know The Sherwin-Williams Company  is helping bring more than just color to life in Maryland?

It might come as a surprise, but one of the company’s most impressive production facilities is located in Somerset County. Sherwin-Williams has had a presence in Maryland since 1967, where it currently produces its largest volume of paint roller covers—a product that has been churned out on the Eastern Shore for nearly 15 years.

It’s clear the local facility remains a major employer for the region, being awarded the company’s “Site of the Year” title in 2020. The county has also taken notice of its all-star, calling Sherwin-Williams one of the “Stars of Somerset” last year in the “best companies with more than 50 employees” category.

“Our goal is to remain an ‘Employer of Choice’ in the area, continuing to attract diverse talent and provide opportunities for workforce development,” said Sherwin-Williams Plant Manager Matthew Kern, with Crisfield’s employees hailing from Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. “Our goal is to continue to be known for quality applicators that meet the needs of our customers and support ongoing growth at our plant.”

By utilizing the state’s More Jobs for Marylanders program and the One Maryland Tax Credit, the company recently added new production capacity and a third shift at its Crisfield plant, creating 55 new jobs and opportunities for continued growth in the region. Its recent investments will continue automating manually-performed processes and expand its manufacturing capacity for new brush brands, said Kern.

Somerset County is home to approximately 210 of the company’s workers, servicing mainly customers throughout the U.S. With competitive wages, new machinery and infrastructure investments, as well as higher education and career development resources available at Sherwin-Williams, all signs show that the company’s investment in the community is here to stay.

“We appreciate the support provided to us by the Maryland Department of Commerce as we continue to look for ways to expand our manufacturing capabilities at our Crisfield, MD site,” said Kern. “Our success is rooted in the strong talent we are able to attract from the surrounding area and the various incentive programs that are made available to us. All told, it has allowed us to remain a major player in the applicator industry and meet the needs of our local, national, and international customers.”