More than a paint store, HIS Paint making an impact on the OKC community

Greater OKC Chamber member HIS Paint is a locally owned manufacturing company that produces paint for residential and architectural usage. They are also well known for their production of industrial coatings for everything from oil & gas to aerospace.

The organization was started in April of 1972 by Oklahoma native Joe Cox. After overcoming a battle with alcoholism, Joe’s life was turned around through reassurance he found through the Christian faith. In the midst of change, Joe was encouraged by his friend, Mr. Harry Currie, to begin manufacturing and selling paint. Currie provided financial support and counsel to Joe and his wife, Dorothy, to help make HIS Paint Manufacturing a reality in Oklahoma City.

Today, HIS has both a nationwide and international reach with their products, though they tend to humbly fly under the radar locally. Their international business happens mostly in Central and South America within the aerospace industry, thanks to their partnership with 3Chem, a company that has more than 50 years of experience in producing protective coatings. HIS employs 62 individuals within Oklahoma City and is now led by Joe’s three sons, Kent Cox, Kirk Cox, and Tony Cox, who each specialize in a different area of the company.

Just like many other specialty paint manufacturers, HIS offers a range of quality paints that can be used on interiors and exteriors of homes and commercial buildings. They can match colors and their wide selection of paint options makes their products a good choice for any project. Ken Wise, the company’s Vice President of Marketing and Product Management, said, “We manufacture paint products that you can buy right here in Oklahoma City.” In concern of supporting local, there’s no better company to purchase your paint from. COVID-19 had a negative impact on sales at HIS throughout the year of 2020, though they chose to maintain all of their employees throughout the pandemic. So far, they are seeing a surge of sales for 2021, providing well-deserved hope for the future of the company.

Though HIS is distinctive for several reasons, two aspects of their organization that make a big impact in our community include their efforts as a socially and environmentally conscious company.

HIS is a fair-chance employer and has a commitment to give all qualified individuals an opportunity to be considered for their workforce. This initiative began, in part, based on Joe’s personal journey. Being close in proximity to Jesus House and other nonprofits aimed at providing opportunity for individuals who have been incarcerated or otherwise disadvantaged has helped make this commitment to second-chance employment a priority for the company.

“We’ve been very successful in hiring folks that have been through difficulties. We’ve used those folks in a lot of capacities in production, in shipping, warehousing, receiving, as well as working in our stores,” said Wise. “They are not exclusively the people that we hire, but we certainly don’t shy away from seeking them out and hiring them.”

Part of the application process asks applicants to indicate their history of convictions of crime. Instead of disqualifying individuals previously convicted of crime from the process, HIS gives individuals an opportunity to have a conversation about it. They ask candidates to share their stories and encourage them to talk openly and honestly about what they learned from their experience. After acknowledging their history, the rest of the process runs like a traditional interview.

In addition to their efforts towards second-chance employment, HIS helps enhance our community’s eco-friendly efforts through recycling paint collected by the city. The City of Oklahoma City gathers paint from contractors, building companies, and other Oklahoma City residents on a continual basis to recycle through this program. Originally, the city began collecting paint simply to keep chemicals out of our sewage and waste facilities. They quickly had an abundance of paint. The city reached out to HIS to see if they had any use for it, and the recycling program began.  

The recycled paint comes in five color options: tan, clay, almond, brown, and green. Paint shades and sheens vary from batch to batch and are determined by the paints that are blended into each mixture. The paint can be used on interiors or exteriors and is typically on par with top-quality paints. Due to the lower-cost nature of the recycled products, the paint is sold at a significantly reduced price point. You can purchase a five-gallon bucket of HIS’s recycled paint line for 75% off the typical retail price.

“People typically recycle higher-end products that usually perform on level with superior-quaility paint,” said Wise.

In addition to selling the recycled paint from their store, HIS donates some of their recycled paint product through their partnership with Keep Oklahoma Beautiful, an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful. Their paint donations help with the “Fresh Paint Days” program, a statewide initiative to help restore and revitalize community structures across Oklahoma. Any county in Oklahoma can submit a portfolio of projects to be considered to receive free paint and help beautify their town.

HIS has three retail locations in Oklahoma City. Their factory store is located on 1801 W Reno and offers the broadest selection of products. The two other retail locations are at 521 E Memorial and 8808 S Western. For those who prefer a contactless retail experience, HIS sells their paints and painting tools online at Paints & Coatings | Oklahoma City, OK | H-I-S Coatings & Paint (hispaint.com).