CLEANTECH AND MANUFACTURING
John Kimmel Normerica Inc.
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here are clichéd business success stories about building a better mousetrap. Dynamic entrepreneur John Kimmel’s business success was built on making a better ... kitty litter.
He admits that it all began as a whimsical fluke. John was a food broker at the time and when he dropped in to pitch a customer, noticed a jug in his office. His customer explained that it was a new product from California, called self-clumping cat litter, fast and easy to clean up. John asked, “If I can find this product, will you buy it from me?” The customer said “yes” and, in 1991, Normerica Inc. began as a clumping cat litter company. Today, with John’s innovative and dynamic vision and his genuine passion for people (employees, retailers and customers), Normerica is a leading multimillion-dollar pet product manufacturer, with over $1.5 billion in cumulative sales, owning more than one third market share of the North American cat litter industry. It is also a manufacturer of all-natural dog treats, wheat-free, holistic dog biscuits and premium kettle-cooked meals for dogs. John is continually focused on growth and new product development, branching out into new and exciting dog and cat products. The company’s philosophy has also become their proud (and registered) slogan: “Giving Your Pet the Very Best.” An interesting fact: Normerica is also one of the largest movers of bulk railcars in North America with over 400 million pounds of product shipped by rail each year. The people side is a vital part of John’s professional and personal life. “Of course we have corporate financial goals but we also prioritize our people goals,” he says. “We want people to enjoy coming to work, in a place that is always interesting and sometimes even fun. And we need to give back to our communities and to those less fortunate. Giving back is such a big part of business and personal success.”
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EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2013