Knoxville, TN-based ImagePoint Inc. has closed its sales and manufacturing operations and is seeking a buyer “for strategic parts of its business,” according to a company statement.
The shutdown included termination of the company’s 450 employees. A small workforce will remain to transition the shutdown. The company has also closed its sign-manufacturing plant in Florence, KY., idling roughly 180 employees.
In July 2008, ImagePoint had closed its Columbia manufacturing site and consolidated production in the Florence plant.
Jim Martin, ImagePoint’s CEO in Knoxville, said the company was forced to close because the downturn heavily impacted automotive and restaurant businesses.
ImagePoint made large, illuminated signs for such national accounts as McDonald’s, GM and Chevrolet dealers, John Deere and 7-Eleven. The company was previously known as Plasti-Line before changing its name in 2003. Plasti-Line had acquired Northern Kentucky-based American Sign in the 1980s.