Brothers Ty and LeRoy Zeigler set aside orchestra careers to run a water-powered grist feed mill near Gettysburg in 1935. Today the third-generation Zeigler Bros. is still growing, bolstered by its highly successful export business. So successful, in fact, that the company, which specializes in the formulation and manufacture of specialty feeds, has been named the U.S. Small Business Administration’s National Exporter of the Year.
Tim Zeigler, vice president for sales and marketing, says Zeigler began exporting in the 1970s, when it moved from producing commodity feeds to exploring niche markets. “One of these markets, aquaculture, has grown exponentially over the last 30 years, primarily outside of the U.S. Our franchise program was introduced in 1986 in Panama to provide nutrition and processing technologies to local aquaculture markets. From that point on, we developed a host of innovative new products and technologies to support an industry, which today represents a substantial portion of the world’s seafood and overall food supply.”
Exports helped Zeigler recover from a devastating plant fire in 2007. In the last three years, Zeigler says, sales have increased over 65% with exports a key factor. Today Zeigler exports to over 40 countries in Latin America, West Africa and Southeast Asia. Its franchise program has active operations at two locations in Mexico and a third plant in Ecuador is scheduled for startup later this year.
Zeigler advises small and mid-sized companies, who often think that international markets are too complicated, to go for it. “Our local Kutztown Small Business Development Center was a vital component in steering us through the many mazes of doing business internationally. It also takes persistence, patience, and people who [aren’t] hesitant to reach out to visit and understand global markets.”
Zeigler also supports an active R&D program for new product development. “Just this year,” Zeigler reports, “we have installed a new, state-of-the-art extruder system for the manufacture of custom feeds for a variety of animals.”
Zeigler, based in Gardners, employs 64 full-timers and expects to add 6 or 7 new positions by year’s end.
Source: Tim Zeigler, Zeigler Bros.
Writer: Elise Vider
