|
The history of Siemer
Distributing Company has its roots in the grocery
business. Joseph Siemer, Jr. owned and operated several
grocery stores in Nelsonville, New Lexington, and
Corning, Ohio during World War II. Joe Jr. also owned
and operated a slaughterhouse and perfected his own
smoked and cured hams and bacons. He sold his Corning
and New Lexington stores to his sons Ed and Bob Siemer.
Joe III purchased the slaughter and smokehouse business
which he owned and operated until 1968.
In 1967 Joe III had an opportunity to purchase a
truck and delivery route selling pre-packaged luncheon
meats. Joe worked the route listening and learning from
the customers. He sold mainly to mom and pop stores, and
as they asked for different and varied products his
inventory and routes grew. In 1968 he converted the
processing plant into a refrigerated warehouse to hold
his growing and varied inventory, and he added another
truck to his route and hired his brother-in-law Pete
Nash.
In 1982 Joe’s son David and son-in-law Phil Tobin came
to work for him full time. His daughters Veronica Rogers
and Susan Maynard joined them in 1987 and 1992,
respectively. By this time Siemer Distributing Company
had grown to five trucks and twenty employees, and as
the company continued to grow a larger facility was
needed. In 1995 a warehouse was purchased and converted
in New Lexington. The location had an additional three
acres and it was decided at that time to expand the ice
manufacturing aspect of the business.
Today Siemer Distributing Company has grown to
include over fifty-five employees. Business is carried
out every day by a staff of five office personnel to
take orders from the customers for delivery as well as
three on-the-road salesmen to expand the ever-growing
business. Ten twenty-four foot straight trucks and three
semi trailer trucks to deliver the extensive inventory
to customers and in 2006 a new addition of a 5000 square
foot cooler/freezer.
To date, Siemer Distributing Company’s
customer base has grown to include supermarkets,
convenience stores, restaurants, institutions, and
special events. The delivery areas include West Virginia
and all but the northwest corner of Ohio. Siemer
Distributing Company is federally inspected daily
thereby allowing them to ship product anywhere in the
country.
In the late 70’s Joe’s customers started
asking for ice cubes that were bagged up. Joe, always
looking for ways to grow and improve, enlisted his wife
and children to make ice cubes and bag them up. A small
freezer was installed and about one hundred ice cube
trays were filled, frozen, and emptied twice a day. As
the demand grew icemakers (like the ones used in
restaurants) were brought in and the children bagged and
scooped twice daily. It wasn’t long before they were not
able to keep up with the demand, so after Joe was
finished with his delivery route he would drive to
Athens, Ohio and purchase two tons of ice! The children
would then go to the plant around midnight to help Joe
unload the ice. After a couple of years of this routine
Joe decided to purchase the ice plant in Athens and move
it to his Corning location. Three new employees were
hired to work the ice plant.
When Joe moved the company to New Lexington
Buckeye Ice was formed.
In 1997 Pete Nash oversaw the construction
of the new state of the art ice manufacturing facility
and in 2000 a new storage facility was added. With the
addition of the new storage facility the storage
capacity was now up to 400,000 bags of ice and the new
facility was now able to manufacture up to 90 tons of
ice per day. At the same time a paint and repair shop
was constructed, a necessary step because the company
provides ice merchandisers to many customers. In this
shop each ice chest is tested and any repairs are made
to ensure they are working correctly. Buckeye Ice’s
popularity has since continued to grow. It was sent to
Canada during the great power outage and also to the
Gulf area after Hurricane Katrina struck to aid the
victims and volunteers.
Within a year of arriving in New Lexington Siemer Meat
Market was opened. It has since developed into a
prosperous venture and is a vital part of the community.
The market is well known for its steaks and other fresh
meats that can be cut to the customers’ specifications
and purchased from the meat case at very reasonable
prices. The market carries an extensive line of deli
meats and cheeses and offers their very own “freezer
deals” in just about any price range. Siemer Meat Market
also has a very large selection of frozen bulk food
products that many businesses and individuals buy
directly from them.
Behind the retail market is the processing
room and the salad room. In the processing room the
boxed beef and pork are trimmed and cut to most popular
portions. This is where the steaks are cut to the exact
order. It is also where the Siemer ham, egg, and
cranberry salads are made.
The employees of Siemer Meat Market are
very creative in making various meat and cheese trays,
vegetable trays, and cookie trays. They are also
well-known for their ham loaves, cheese balls, meat
loaves, meatballs, and chicken salad. All of these
things are made fresh right in the market from fresh
ingredients.
The sales staff know many of the customers
personally and this personalized service is what makes
Siemer Meat Market such an important part of the
community.
|
