diff --git a/src/DataTables/Column/EnumColumn.php b/src/DataTables/Column/EnumColumn.php
index 04813db9..e41b79e4 100644
--- a/src/DataTables/Column/EnumColumn.php
+++ b/src/DataTables/Column/EnumColumn.php
@@ -31,10 +31,14 @@ class EnumColumn extends AbstractColumn
 {
 
     /**
-     * @phpstan-return T
+     * @phpstan-return T|null
      */
-    public function normalize($value): UnitEnum
+    public function normalize($value): ?UnitEnum
     {
+        if ($value === null) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
         if (is_a($value, $this->getEnumClass())) {
             return $value;
         }
diff --git a/src/DataTables/PartsDataTable.php b/src/DataTables/PartsDataTable.php
index d8b34098..848b78a9 100644
--- a/src/DataTables/PartsDataTable.php
+++ b/src/DataTables/PartsDataTable.php
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ declare(strict_types=1);
 
 namespace App\DataTables;
 
+use App\DataTables\Column\EnumColumn;
+use App\Entity\Parts\ManufacturingStatus;
 use Symfony\Bundle\SecurityBundle\Security;
 use App\Entity\Parts\Storelocation;
 use App\DataTables\Adapters\CustomFetchJoinORMAdapter;
@@ -227,18 +229,17 @@ final class PartsDataTable implements DataTableTypeInterface
                 'label' => $this->translator->trans('part.table.favorite'),
                 'visible' => false,
             ])
-            ->add('manufacturing_status', MapColumn::class, [
+            ->add('manufacturing_status', EnumColumn::class, [
                 'label' => $this->translator->trans('part.table.manufacturingStatus'),
                 'visible' => false,
-                'default' => $this->translator->trans('m_status.unknown'),
-                'map' => [
-                    '' => $this->translator->trans('m_status.unknown'),
-                    'announced' => $this->translator->trans('m_status.announced'),
-                    'active' => $this->translator->trans('m_status.active'),
-                    'nrfnd' => $this->translator->trans('m_status.nrfnd'),
-                    'eol' => $this->translator->trans('m_status.eol'),
-                    'discontinued' => $this->translator->trans('m_status.discontinued'),
-                ],
+                'class' => ManufacturingStatus::class,
+                'render' => function(?ManufacturingStatus $status, Part $context): string {
+                    if (!$status) {
+                        return '';
+                    }
+
+                    return $this->translator->trans($status->toTranslationKey());
+                } ,
             ])
             ->add('manufacturer_product_number', TextColumn::class, [
                 'label' => $this->translator->trans('part.table.mpn'),
diff --git a/src/Entity/Parts/ManufacturingStatus.php b/src/Entity/Parts/ManufacturingStatus.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2b6de800
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Entity/Parts/ManufacturingStatus.php
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+<?php
+/*
+ * This file is part of Part-DB (https://github.com/Part-DB/Part-DB-symfony).
+ *
+ *  Copyright (C) 2019 - 2023 Jan Böhmer (https://github.com/jbtronics)
+ *
+ *  This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ *  it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published
+ *  by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ *  (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ *  This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ *  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ *  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ *  GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ *  You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+ *  along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+
+namespace App\Entity\Parts;
+
+enum ManufacturingStatus: string
+{
+    /** Part has been announced, but is not in production yet */
+    case ANNOUNCED = 'announced';
+    /** Part is in production and will be for the foreseeable future */
+    case ACTIVE = 'active';
+    /** Not recommended for new designs. */
+    case NRFND = 'nrfnd';
+    /** End of life: Part will become discontinued soon */
+    case EOL = 'eol';
+    /** Part is obsolete/discontinued by the manufacturer. */
+    case DISCONTINUED = 'discontinued';
+
+    /** Status not set */
+    case NOT_SET = '';
+
+    public function toTranslationKey(): string
+    {
+        return match ($this) {
+            self::ANNOUNCED => 'm_status.announced',
+            self::ACTIVE => 'm_status.active',
+            self::NRFND => 'm_status.nrfnd',
+            self::EOL => 'm_status.eol',
+            self::DISCONTINUED => 'm_status.discontinued',
+            self::NOT_SET => '',
+        };
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Entity/Parts/PartTraits/ManufacturerTrait.php b/src/Entity/Parts/PartTraits/ManufacturerTrait.php
index 81ab8ac9..71036d8c 100644
--- a/src/Entity/Parts/PartTraits/ManufacturerTrait.php
+++ b/src/Entity/Parts/PartTraits/ManufacturerTrait.php
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ declare(strict_types=1);
 
 namespace App\Entity\Parts\PartTraits;
 
+use App\Entity\Parts\ManufacturingStatus;
 use Doctrine\DBAL\Types\Types;
 use App\Entity\Parts\Manufacturer;
 use App\Entity\Parts\Part;
@@ -60,12 +61,11 @@ trait ManufacturerTrait
     protected string $manufacturer_product_number = '';
 
     /**
-     * @var string|null The production status of this part. Can be one of the specified ones.
+     * @var ManufacturingStatus|null The production status of this part. Can be one of the specified ones.
      */
-    #[Assert\Choice(['announced', 'active', 'nrfnd', 'eol', 'discontinued', ''])]
     #[Groups(['extended', 'full', 'import'])]
-    #[ORM\Column(type: Types::STRING, length: 255, nullable: true)]
-    protected ?string $manufacturing_status = '';
+    #[ORM\Column(type: Types::STRING, length: 255, nullable: true, enumType: ManufacturingStatus::class)]
+    protected ?ManufacturingStatus $manufacturing_status = ManufacturingStatus::NOT_SET;
 
     /**
      * Get the link to the website of the article on the manufacturers website
@@ -113,9 +113,9 @@ trait ManufacturerTrait
      * * "eol": Part will become discontinued soon
      * * "discontinued": Part is obsolete/discontinued by the manufacturer.
      *
-     * @return string
+     * @return ManufacturingStatus|null
      */
-    public function getManufacturingStatus(): ?string
+    public function getManufacturingStatus(): ?ManufacturingStatus
     {
         return $this->manufacturing_status;
     }
@@ -124,9 +124,9 @@ trait ManufacturerTrait
      * Sets the manufacturing status for this part
      * See getManufacturingStatus() for valid values.
      *
-     * @return Part
+     * @return $this
      */
-    public function setManufacturingStatus(string $manufacturing_status): self
+    public function setManufacturingStatus(ManufacturingStatus $manufacturing_status): self
     {
         $this->manufacturing_status = $manufacturing_status;
 
diff --git a/src/Form/Part/PartBaseType.php b/src/Form/Part/PartBaseType.php
index 309197ab..1fbaa55e 100644
--- a/src/Form/Part/PartBaseType.php
+++ b/src/Form/Part/PartBaseType.php
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ declare(strict_types=1);
 
 namespace App\Form\Part;
 
+use App\Entity\Parts\ManufacturingStatus;
 use Symfony\Bundle\SecurityBundle\Security;
 use App\Entity\Attachments\PartAttachment;
 use App\Entity\Parameters\PartParameter;
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ use Symfony\Component\Form\AbstractType;
 use Symfony\Component\Form\Extension\Core\Type\CheckboxType;
 use Symfony\Component\Form\Extension\Core\Type\ChoiceType;
 use Symfony\Component\Form\Extension\Core\Type\CollectionType;
+use Symfony\Component\Form\Extension\Core\Type\EnumType;
 use Symfony\Component\Form\Extension\Core\Type\ResetType;
 use Symfony\Component\Form\Extension\Core\Type\SubmitType;
 use Symfony\Component\Form\Extension\Core\Type\TextType;
@@ -62,14 +64,6 @@ class PartBaseType extends AbstractType
         $part = $builder->getData();
         $new_part = null === $part->getID();
 
-        $status_choices = [
-            'm_status.unknown' => '',
-            'm_status.announced' => 'announced',
-            'm_status.active' => 'active',
-            'm_status.nrfnd' => 'nrfnd',
-            'm_status.eol' => 'eol',
-            'm_status.discontinued' => 'discontinued',
-        ];
 
         //Common section
         $builder
@@ -140,9 +134,10 @@ class PartBaseType extends AbstractType
                 'empty_data' => '',
                 'label' => 'part.edit.mpn',
             ])
-            ->add('manufacturing_status', ChoiceType::class, [
+            ->add('manufacturing_status', EnumType::class, [
                 'label' => 'part.edit.manufacturing_status',
-                'choices' => $status_choices,
+                'class' => ManufacturingStatus::class,
+                'choice_label' => fn (ManufacturingStatus $status) => $status->toTranslationKey(),
                 'required' => false,
             ]);
 
diff --git a/src/Twig/TwigCoreExtension.php b/src/Twig/TwigCoreExtension.php
index 1cb7f1dc..b77ff28b 100644
--- a/src/Twig/TwigCoreExtension.php
+++ b/src/Twig/TwigCoreExtension.php
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ final class TwigCoreExtension extends AbstractExtension
             new TwigTest('instanceof', static fn($var, $instance) => $var instanceof $instance),
             /* Checks if a given variable is an object. E.g. `x is object` */
             new TwigTest('object', static fn($var): bool => is_object($var)),
+            new TwigTest('enum', fn($var) => $var instanceof \UnitEnum),
         ];
     }
 
diff --git a/templates/helper.twig b/templates/helper.twig
index 8388d551..d0ea72be 100644
--- a/templates/helper.twig
+++ b/templates/helper.twig
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@
 {% endmacro %}
 
 {% macro m_status_to_badge(status, class="badge") %}
+    {% if status is enum %}
+        {% set status = status.value %}
+    {% endif %}
+
     {% if status is not empty %}
         {% set color = " bg-secondary" %}