From Holsteins to Hogs

When Doug Hershey graduated from Penn State with a degree in Dairy Science, a career with cows seemed the logical path. A native of Lancaster, PA, and grandson of a dairy farmer, Hershey’s first job was with the Pennsylvania Holstein Association. “I solicited new members, promoted the association and created ads to help members promote their cattle to farmers.”

During the four years he worked at the association, Hershey started dating Jill Dorminy (they later married). Through Jill’s church, Hershey met a man named Donny Beaver.

About that time, Beaver and Ben Stapelfeld (current chairman of New Pig) bought an industrial cleaning company. Recalls Hershey, “They would clean manufacturing facilities. One job was to put down an absorbent granular material to soak up all the spilt machinery oils. They got this idea for a 4-foot sock to encase the absorbent material and make it less messy.” The “Pig” was born.

Hershey was hired to sell the product to distributors, but he admits that initially, he didn’t have much success. The company’s solution: direct marketing. “We sent samples to Fortune 500 companies—anyone in plant maintenance, the plant engineers. We came up with the name ‘Pig’ and just started inventing catchy marketing slogans around it like ‘We have more Pigs in the barn, and here’s seven to try,’” Hershey recounts. “Nobody forgot the name. It took on a life of its own.”

A member of New Pig’s management since its founding in 1985, today Hershey manages New Pig’s direct business unit. He was appointed executive vice president in 1989.

Pigalogs, Pig Pans and Hot Hogs

While out selling, Hershey quickly learned that his product was more expensive than the alternative, the loose clay granules. “So we had to sell the product on its benefits,” he recalls. The initial management team, which included Hershey, worked with freelancers to create the first catalog, “really a 16-page brochure, to describe the benefits. It allowed people to see the product in use; they’d say, ‘Son of a gun, this looks like my plant.’”

The product line grew as customers began asking for other types of products for their plants. “When we did business with some of the plant managers, we realized they had other problems. For example, we created a Pig Pan to catch the oil that drips from horizontal dispensing drums; the plants had been using coffee cans.” After that, the business started to build. Says Hershey, “We continued to play off the Pig name. We called the catalog Pigalog. When it was time to establish an 800 number, we came up with 1-800-HOT-HOGS.”

Today, New Pig markets more than 3,000 products to 170,000 plant facilities in more than 40 countries. But the past year has been a challenge for the manufacturing industry and therefore for New Pig. “Companies have been consolidating and shutting down plants,” says Hershey. “With the postage increase and the frustrations of the economy, we’ve tried to trim the rough edges off of our mail plan. We continue to manage our costs very carefully.”

The company’s greatest challenge, Hershey believes, is looking for avenues for growth. And for that, he feels the Web has potential. Hershey notes, “The Web will give us the ability to customize and personalize a more focused marketing message to individuals.”

For inspiration, Hershey turns to books and consultants. “There are a lot of books that can challenge your thinking, whether they’re about the Internet or management or marketing.”

Whatever direction New Pig takes next, Hershey says, “Our name is certain to help keep it fun.”

Alicia Orr is the editor in chief of Catalog Success magazine.