J. Perry Inc. of Tignish has signed a lucrative deal with Sheds USA, the exclusive gazebo distributor to Home Depot stores in eastern United States. This single source contract will see J. Perry Inc. supplying gazebos to over 200 Home Depot outlets, a deal that translates into an additional $2.7 million in annual sales for the Island company. Costco will also be selling the company's gazebos in the eastern US market.
This influx of orders has prompted the company to expand its operation to the former Western Mall in Bloomfield where it now occupies 25,000 square feet of production space, in addition to 8,000 square feet of storage spaced rented from a local farmer. The company is also in the process of hiring up to 40 new staff to accommodate production needs.
"J. Perry Inc. is an excellent example of how hard work can pay off," said the Honourable Mike Currie, Minister of Development and Technology. "This company identified a market opportunity and pursued it by participating on trade missions and aggressively following through on its leads.
"Thanks to the persistence of owner Herb Perry, not only is the company reaping great rewards, but the entire community will benefit as well."
J. Perry Inc. is a division of Perry Rafter Co., a company that started with just one staff member over ten tears ago. While its parent company focuses primarily on floor and roof trusses for the PEI market, J. Perry Inc's key products are the Summer Breeze Gazebo and cedar chairs.
"We first looked at the fencing market, but quickly realized there was too much competition. However, gazebos appeared to be a growing market, and no one was mass producing the product for wholesale," said Perry. "I attended my first trade mission to the Boston area in February 2000, which is when I made initial contact with my US distributor. This trade mission was crucial to our success and I believe we're just getting started."
In addition to support from government-organized trade missions, J. Perry Inc. also received marketing assistance, a $100,000 loan and a $50,000 rental incentive grant through PEI Business Development, the lead economic development agency for the Government of Prince Edward Island.