In 1984, the company Al Haire worked for as a sales rep went up for sale. A man with a modest background and young family, he leveraged everything he had and bought the company, which was then a small manufacturer of overhead heaters for the industrial and commercial markets.
He created a growth strategy with the help of his mentor, and that small company grew into Enerco Group Inc., a global manufacturer with 100 employees.
Balancing optimism with risk, and investing both his time and money during the past two decades, Haire personally guaranteed EGI’s growth.
He began with a risky plan to maintain the company’s distribution channels while opening a new one to reach the retail market. He guided the marketing and development efforts of a heater line to meet the needs of customers who worked out in the cold, such as dockworkers and outdoorsmen.
That portable heater line propelled the company into the retail market through a combination of product development and repackaging while also targeting both large and small retailers. Today EGI’s products are found in Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Tractor Supply and Lowe’s as well as at smaller, independent stores.
Haire drove product innovation and promoted outstanding customer service in order to make EGI successful in both the distribution and retail venues, but the company soon faced an obstacle.
Many customers were using the outdoor portable heaters inside, which left them at risk for carbon monoxide poisoning. To combat this, EGI developed the Buddy line of heaters, which featured an oxygen depletion shut-off to make them safe for indoor usage.
The company’s diversified customer base has kept the business growing, but it has also allowed Haire to keep operations based in Cleveland, despite pressure to move them overseas.
To continue growing in the future, Haire blends veteran employees with new blood to promote different perspectives and brainstorming new ideas. He also plans to continue addressing the needs and solving the problems of EGI’s customers.
These strategies are paying off, as EGI has grown by about 35 percent each of the past few years, and looks forward to many more successful years to come.
How to reach: Enerco Group Inc., (216) 916-3000 or www.enerco.com