Sisters company seeking new markets

O'Keeffe's® Co. in Sisters will soon ramp up production. photo by Peggy Chesser O'Keeffe's® Co. is boldly going where no hand cream has gone before. To Home Depot. And maybe to Lowe's, too.

The Sisters company is expanding into a market where customers are thinking more about nails and drills than skin care. But the founder says large home improvement chains are where her customers shop.

"Our goal is to break into the industrial hardware market, with the most effective product in its category," said Tara O'Keeffe. "We're the working person's hand cream."

With a new approach and sporty new packaging, this family-owned company is ready to play in the big leagues by pursuing national accounts.

Working Hands Creme originated 25 years ago when O'Keeffe graduated from pharmacy school and created her unique cream to help her rancher father.

Hard work and hard weather badly cracked his skin. Her approach was different from other creams he had tried. O'Keeffe's® formula contains no oil because it "just sits on the skin." Instead her cream actually alters the pH of the skin and attracts moisture, drawing it into the skin.

As a pharmacist, O'Keeffe saw the lengths to which hard working people went to try and heal their damaged hands. People came to her with Band-aids on their bleeding fingers hoping for a solution.

The product has been available for years in some Rite Aid, Walgreen's, True Value and feed and farm stores. But to reach all the plumbers, farmers, mechanics, nurses and other hard workers who have cracked, dry skin, O'Keeffe wants to go beyond the traditional places where people find skin care products.

"We want to sell differently," said O'Keeffe.

A rubber grip on the new jar lid makes it easy to handle. O'Keeffe says she wanted her cream to look like a car wax container.

O'Keeffe is pleased the new design has been recognized by product packaging magazines. One magazine praised it as "functional and distinct."

Sisters is ahead of the trend since O'Keeffe's® new green jar can already be found in Hoyt's, Lutton's and Sisters Drug Co.

O'Keeffe says national home improvement stores are a natural for the company. She pointed out that Home Depot has numerous glove displays through its stores so the chain understands its customers need protection for their hard working hands.

In addition to national accounts, O'Keeffe's® is excited to be going abroad. The company is marketing to Australia where O'Keeffe says "they certainly have the harsh climate for it. This is our first attempt at overseas sales."

By growing into new markets the company will need to add space and employees. O'Keeffe's® Co. now employs seven full-time people and manufactures two days a week. O'Keeffe predicts a new national account will mean doubling their manufacturing.

Much of O'Keeffe's marketing is based on the strength of testimonials, which may be more valuable than a multi-million dollar marketing campaign.

By trying new markets, O'Keeffe's® plans to be more than "just another hand cream."

"It's a bold thing we're trying to do," said O'Keeffe.