Hog Slat Inc. got its start in 1969, when Billy Herring was operating a farrow-to-finish farm near Newton Grove, NC, and couldn't find appropriate flooring for the nursery he wanted to build. So, relying on his ingenuity and experience, he constructed his own slats. Other producers noticed the quality of his product, called on him for help, and a small family business was born. Today, that business produces a full range of hog farming equipment. Hog Slat’s home office is located in Newton Grove, NC, with regional offices in Iowa and Oklahoma. Our sister company, Georgia Poultry, is headquartered in Royston, GA, with additional offices located in Mississippi and southern Missouri.
Hog Slat, Inc. is a family-owned business engaged in many aspects of hog and poultry production. We are involved in (1) turnkey construction of confinement type and hog and poultry units, (2) the manufacture and distribution of hog and poultry equipment, and (3) the production of live hogs. The company is the largest contractor and manufacturer of hog equipment in the United States with approximately 1,000 people directly employed and an additional 1,400 subcontractors working on the company's construction projects. Hog Slat / Georgia Poultry has constructed turnkey units for both family farms and large corporate farm units in the United States. Hog Slat / Georgia Poultry also sells equipment packages to customers who choose to construct their own facilities, both domestically and internationally.
Georgia Poultry Equipment Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hog Slat engaged in the distribution of poultry equipment in the southeastern United States. Started in Georgia in 2004 by the acquisition of several existing locations in the state, Georgia Poultry has quickly expanded to include a total of 18 sales locations not only in Georgia but also in Tennessee, Florida, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Missouri.
MANUFACTURING
Precast Slats
Hog Slat is the recognized leader in manufacturing precast concrete slats. The company operates three slat manufacturing plants, in North Carolina, Iowa, and Indiana, with nine machines throughout the different locations and has licensed manufacturers in Chile and Mexico in addition to a company-owned plant in Romania. Annual manufacturing capacity is 900,000 slats which will accommodate the expansion of over 600,000 sows.
Penning Equipment
Hog Slat Manufacturing is a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility encompassing over 100,000 square feet (9,300 sq. meters), and producing 2,000,000 pounds (907,000 kg) of fabricated product per week. Volume buying of raw materials coupled with our company’s close proximity to southeastern steel mini mills enables Hog Slat to offer our customers exceptional value. In addition, a second plant located in Columbus, NE, was opened in 2003 to better serve our Midwest customers. Our manufacturing operations utilize high speed, computer-controlled punch presses, an in-house precision tool and die program, sophisticated welding techniques, and robotics to make this high level of production possible without sacrificing the high quality standards our customers have come to expect. An advanced shot blasting system for cleaning steel, a modern climate-controlled paint room, an efficient gas-fired oven, and years of research in powder coat paint technology make our paint finish the best in the industry. These manufacturing capabilities, combined with an unsurpassed knowledge of hog farming and a dedicated, experienced, and well-trained staff, make our facilities truly world class.
DISTRIBUTION AND RETAIL LOCATIONS
Hog Slat is the leading distributor of GSI Group hog and poultry feeding systems, ventilation systems, heaters, and curtain controls. All items are purchased and delivered to company warehouses in economical lots and then distributed to individual farm sites. Three major distribution centers are located in Newton Grove, NC, Royston, GA, and Humboldt, IA, with smaller regional centers in strategic production areas. Hog Slat has reviewed and/or tested all leading manufacturers’ products and has selected our current supplier based on quality, value, and long-term commitment to the industry. The review of suppliers is on-going with new products tested on a regular basis.
The distribution centers are essential in supporting the 45+ retail locations situated through the top US swine and poultry production areas. These retail locations offer producers immediate access to the critical parts needed to keep modern confinement units operational. The retail locations are also supported by service technicians that perform field repairs and installations. Hog Slat/Georgia Poultry realizes the retail and service stores are a key part of our company’s growth, and plans are under way to expand into additional areas in the near future.
CONSTRUCTION
Hog Slat is constructing hog / poultry farms in five regions of the United States. Each region maintains a central administrative staff to purchase, account for, and manage projects with individual site supervisors on each farm directing actual construction.
- Southeast region including North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama
- Midwest region including Iowa and Minnesota.
- Southwest region including Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Colorado.
- Great Lakes region including Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ohio.
- MO/ARK region including Missouri and Arkansas
EUROPEAN DIVISION
Hog Slat, Inc. took the first step toward serving the European market with the opening of a slat manufacturing facility in Arad, Romania, during the summer of 2006. Originally, Hog Slat entered the market to work with Smithfield Foods, the world’s largest pork producer, as they expanded into eastern Europe. Through the efforts of not only the Romanian staff, but also several members of our team in the US, our customer base has been expanded to include pork producers, small and large, throughout the region. A second European office was opened in Pozen, Poland, in 2008 to service accounts in Poland, Ukraine, and Russia.
RESEARCH FARM
All new products (steel, concrete, feeding, heating , and ventilation) and pig production concepts are tested on two company-owned 2,500 sow research farms located in North Carolina. Before a new product or building design is introduced to our customers, it has been proven cost effective and efficient on our own herd. Hog Slat also operates contract sow and finishing operations with a total production of 400,000 market hogs annually. Our experience in raising hogs allows us to design efficient equipment and buildings and to establish the logistics necessary to maintain the animal flow of large multi-site operations.