WSET.com - ABC13Made in Virginia: Annin Flag Company

Reporter: James Gherardi l Videographer: Jonathan Merryman

South Boston, VA - Annin Flag Company is the country's leading flag manufacturer, and in a part of Virginia that has struggled to create and retain jobs, Annin has been a constant during a time of incredible uncertainty.

It's the unsung hero of the Southside.

"A lot of the employees here have worked at other textile companies in the area. Industries, JP Stevens, Dan River... all of which are now closed," said Ronnie Coble, an Annin manager.

Annin Flag Company opened its South Boston factory and distribution center in 1995. Soon after, textiles, a once thriving Virginia industry, left home.

"At one point, there were thousands of people employed at textile companies," said Coble.

Coble has worked at Annin for four years. He took a job as a sewing manager after the textile company he had worked for decades closed their doors.

"It's a second chance. We've been fortunate. Our business has been good," he said.

Business at Annin is booming. This factory employs just fewer than 200 people, and during the recession, they laid-off zero workers. They are the number one flag production company in the United States, and their products ship to every corner of the country.

"This one's going to South Carolina. This one's going to Gainesville, Florida. This one's going to Washington, DC. All over the country," said Patsy Noblin, an Annin employee as she showed different products.

Their customers are big and small.

"But we also make all the flags in the world. We have an order now for flags going to the United Nations, 192 different flags," said Coble.

Annin began their operation in 1847, and it's almost always an Annin flag that flies anywhere in the U.S. Everything from the flag draping Lincoln's casket to the flag Buzz Aldrin planted on the moon.

For all the different colors, sizes and shapes of flags that come out of this factory, there's just one that all these workers say is their pride and joy.

"The U.S. flag, the American flag," said Noblin.

Annin produces thousands of American flags every day coming in all different shapes and sizes. And the stars and stripes are what Annin's employees consider their most important product.

Noblin has worked for Annin for 16 years. Her-made-to-order flags traditionally end up on the other side of the world.

"We do a lot of different work, it's always a challenge. We don't know one day to the next what we'll be doing. So I love it and I think everybody here does," she said.

The factory floor is always bustling because the demand for flags never slows.

"I have a daughter and a fiancee that I provide for so it gives me great gratitude to know that I can come to work every day and provide for my family," said Annin printer Jerome Whittle.

He spends hours on the factory floor everyday producing something he says he couldn't be more proud of.

"Flags are very important. I mean we produce the military flags - United States Marine Corps, Army flags. You know, provide for the people that protect our country, so it's an honor to be able to do those things," he said.

Since then its fabric has been sewn into the history of this country. Something these three Annin employees say they've now become a part of.

Annin's South Boston facility is a whopping 180,000 square feet. They're always looking to expand, which is something they say will forever maintain their position as America's largest and most historic flag manufacturer.