Bully Tools expansion phase underway

WINTERSVILLE -- Bully Tools kicked off Phase 1 of its $6.7 million expansion Thursday with a ceremonial groundbreaking at the Jefferson County Industrial Park.

Owner Mark Gracy said the real work will begin this weekend.

“We already have all the steel on site,” he said. “We’re going to start on all the retention ponds, infrastructure and grading. It should move pretty quickly.”

Gracy wants to be in the new, 20,000-foot warehouse space by August 1. Once it’s done, they’ll turn their attention to Phase II, another 40,000-square foot space.

“It’s taken us some time to get here, but it’s great,” he said. “We desperately need the space.”

Bully Tools are available online through power retailers like Amazon, Lowe’s, Home Depot, Gempler’s, True Value and Wal-Mart, and direct from Bully. The popularity of Bully’s direct-to-consumer model is a big part of the reason they need the extra space.

So far in 2021, he says Bully is up 62 percent over last year's shipments “and we still have a five-week backlog of purchases we haven’t been able fill yet.”

“We have over 70 employees now,” he said. “I think we’ve added 30 already (this year) and we don’t even have the new building in place.”

The shop is in production seven days a week, he said.

Gracy said consumers appreciate products like Bully Tools that are 100 percent made in America, but they’re also very aware of product star ratings.

“If they see a product that sells for $14 and has a 2.5 star rating, then they see a Bully Tool selling for $29, they’ll take Bully Tool every day just because it has a five-star rating. Every one of our products is rated extremely high. (Being) American made probably helps get us on all the websites, but what’s really driving it is how consumers review our products.”

Gracy said he’s hoping Phase II will be done by late 2022, pointing out that when it’s done Bully will have a 97,000 square foot space in the industrial park.

“Last year we had a great year, we were up 22 percent over the previous year,” he pointed out. “That was our 10th year of double-digit grown. This year, 17 weeks in, we’re up 62 percent.”

Joining Gracy for the ceremony were a host of local leaders, including Jefferson County Commissioners Dave Maple and Tony Morelli, who said job creation is “critical for our growth and ability to maintain and grow in all areas.”

“More people working equals more people buying local products, eating in restaurants, hiring contractors…” Morelli said. “(That’s) pumping money into the county by purchasing goods and services are all benefits, not to (mention) additional taxes that stay in our county.”

Morelli said it’s a building block for the local economy.

“The goal, of course, is to build on this,” he said. “Hopefully other companies will follow Bully from different states, realizing the benefits of moving or expanding to Ohio and, specifically, Jefferson County.”