1 Day to the Showcase!
Zeigler Brothers
Gardners, Pennsylvania
www.zeiglerfeed.com
Zeigler Brothers Wins National, State and Regional Export Awards
Zeigler Brothers Inc. is a third-generation, family-owned business specializing in the formulation and manufacture of specialty feeds. A Kutztown University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) client for more than 15 years, Zeigler has seen several years of remarkable growth and is proud to announce that the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and the State of Pennsylvania have extended awards to the company for its export achievements.
The company was awarded Exporter of the Year from the SBA for both Eastern Pennsylvania and the entire Mid-Atlantic region. As one of ten regional finalists, Zeigler then was selected as SBA’s National Exporter of the Year during World Trade Day in Denver.
At the federal level, Zeigler has also been chosen as a 2013 recipient of the President’s National Export or “E” Award presented by the Department of Commerce in Washington D.C. At the state level, Zeigler was recognized by Pennsylvania Governor, Tom Corbett, at the Governor’s ImPAct Awards ceremony held in Hershey, receiving an Export Impact Award.
Matt Zeigler, Vice President of Operations, recently accepted the SBA National Exporter of the Year award during World Trade Day in Denver saying, “We feel extremely honored and grateful to be recognized for our success in exporting. As a small business, we’ve been fortunate to have had the support of federal agencies such as SBA, U.S. Commercial Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the support of local resources such as the Kutztown Small Business Development Center and World Trade Center of Harrisburg to assist us in our vision to expand globally. Central to this success has been loyal customers and suppliers who have stuck with us through both good and bad times, as well as our dedicated employees who have accepted the challenge to reach out to international markets.”
Zeigler Brothers specializes in the formulation and manufacture of high-end, specialty feeds for the agriculture, pet, and bio-medical research industries. The company also operates a franchise program that transfers technology to international partner feed mills. Continuous innovation and pursuit of new markets are fundamental to Zeigler’s strategy and its recent success in expanding international sales.
International marketers have played an important role in Zeigler Brothers’ business for decades. Recently, increasing demand and aggressive market expansion have helped spur international sales, and the company now exports to over forty countries. Sales in well established markets throughout Latin America continue to grow, and new efforts to expand business elsewhere are proving successful, particularly in West Africa and Southeast Asia. Zeigler Bros’ franchise program presently has active operations in Los Mochis, Mexico (Nutrición Marina S.A. de C.V.), Guadalajara, Mexico (Los Belenes, Pronua S.A. de C.V.), and a third plant in Ecuador (PCO Cia. Ltda), scheduled for start-up later this year.
“Over the past four decades, we have retained a strong emphasis on innovation,” explained Tim Zeigler, Vice President, Sales and Marketing. “Our father instilled this philosophy back in the late 1960s when the commodity feed market was going through difficult times. He recognized the need to innovate and seek out niche markets. As a result, the company began to take on new challenges, travel to different places, understand global needs, and identify unique opportunities where we could deliver sustainable value.”
Zeigler was founded in 1935 by brothers Ty and LeRoy Zeigler, who set aside their orchestra careers to run a water powered grist feed mill near Gettysburg. The first feeds manufactured were for local farmers and marketed under the Conewago brand, named after the stream that powered their newly purchased mill. In 1967, leadership passed to LeRoy’s son, Dr. Thomas Zeigler, who transitioned the company from a manufacturer of farmed feeds to an internationally recognized producer of specialized animal feeds. Beginning in the 19980s, the company started to license nutritional and manufacturing technologies globally under its Zeigler brand. Today, with Dr. Zeigler supporting R&D efforts, his sons Tim and Matt Zeigler direct the company’s operations with a renewed spirit toward technology and innovation.
A strong reputation for innovation and customer satisfaction has been critical to Zeigler Brothers’ success, all made possible through a dynamic team dedicated to the company’s mission to be recognized as a global leader. Zeigler is able to attract and retain skilled team members specializing in manufacturing, nutrition, biology, international business, and logistics. Knowledgeable and passionate employees are essential to Zeigler’s highly diverse and unique product offerings. The company is ISO 9001 certified and produces over 300 products, ranging from microscopic liquid diets for shrimp larvae to feeds for exotic reptiles.
Over the years, the company’s high level of flexibility and innovation has positioned Zeigler Brothers to develop some very interesting products in order to meet unique customer demands. Some examples include customized diets for manatees, crickets, alligators, sea urchins, crayfish, exotic birds, and even a product to help remediate oil spills. In conjunction with the National Institutes of Health, Zeigler Brothers pioneered the development of an “open formulation concept,” creating a brand new series of laboratory feeds benefiting bio-medical research. Other notable contributions include providing nutrition support for the panda bears gifted to President Nixon by the Chinese government and the development of Stay-C, a water stable version of Vitamin C which is now the industry standard for use in aquatic feeds.
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The America’s SBDC Client Showcase & Reception will be held from 5:30-7:30 pm on Monday, February 1, 2016, in Caucus Room 345 of the Cannon House Office Building . Invite your Members of Congress to the showcase and reception! Contact your Representative and your Senators.
For more information about America’s SBDC or to find an SBDC near you, visit www.AmericasSBDC.org.