The inauguration ceremony was attended by Mayor Micah Kilhoffer, Representative Nick Archer and City Manager Tom Ivester, alongside representatives from the local institutional and business communities. The opening of the Elk City facility expands Molins' international manufacturing capabilities in urban landscape solutions and reinforces its strategy of bringing production closer to the markets in which it operates.
Local manufacturing of selected products from Escofet, Molins' urban furniture business, will help shorten delivery times and optimise logistics, while enabling a more agile response to the specific requirements of projects in the United States and Canada. This local presence will enhance the business's competitiveness and enable it to provide a service better tailored to the needs of the North American market.
North America currently accounts for approximately 6% of revenue generated by Molins' urban landscape solutions business. With the new plant now operational and the progressive development of its activities in the region, Molins aims to significantly strengthen its presence in this market, with the goal of increasing its contribution to up to 30% of the business's total revenue.
According to Marcos Cela, CEO of Molins, "The opening of our first manufacturing plant in the United States reflects our commitment to international growth, bringing our presence to 19 countries. With this new facility, we are moving our production capabilities closer to our customers, strengthening our competitiveness, and continuing to expand our business internationally."
“The opening of this new production facility is an important milestone for Elk City and an international win for our community. It reflects the strength of our local workforce, creates new opportunities for our community and positions our city to support Molins as they grow across the United States,” says Mayor of Elk City, Micah Kilhoffer. “Molins’s decision to locate in Elk City is a major international win for western Oklahoma and a strong vote of confidence in the people who live and work here. This facility will create opportunities close to home, strengthen the region’s manufacturing base, and connect local workers and suppliers to a growing global company. It is exactly the kind of investment that helps rural communities build lasting prosperity while showing the world what Elk City and Oklahoma have to offer.”
Local production to drive growth
The facility comprises approximately 32 300 ft2 of built space on a nearly 6 acres site and will initially manufacture eight of Escofet's most in-demand products in the United States and Canada. Production will be gradually expanded, both in terms of capacity and product range, in line with market demand and the development of the business in North America.
The plant also draws on the industrial expertise developed by Molins' urban landscape solutions business, Escofet, over its 140-year history. This expertise has been adapted to the raw materials and suppliers available in the North American market, while maintaining the brand's standards of design, quality and durability.
The launch of the facility is supported by an initial team trained at Molins' plant in Martorell, Barcelona, where they worked alongside the company's technical and production teams to gain in-depth knowledge of its manufacturing processes and quality standards. As operations in Elk City develop, Molins expects the plant's workforce to grow to up to 50 employees, further strengthening its presence in North America and its ability to expand in this strategic market.
