Jeff Palmiter, an LD Davis animal glue veteran salesman, gave me a few minutes of his time to learn a little more about the company and about his history with LD Davis, North America’s premier animal glue manufacturer. Here is his story….
Tell us about your history with L.D. Davis and animal glue (HIDE GLUE).
“I came to LD Davis in the summer of 1995 at the tender age of 28. I moved from Jacksonville, FL where I had worked as a Shift Chemist at a Chemical plant making reactive polymers (resins) for the boat and marble industry. After a short stint as Maintenance Manager at LD Davis, I was promoted to Production Manager where I learned all of the aspects of protein adhesive, or animal glue production and plant management, except for formulation.
There was a time where I was the back up for seven positions including Quality, Production, and Shipping. My main function was the hour-by-hour operation of the animal glue manufacturing plant with respect to product production, employee direction, quality, safety, and shipping. My first tour of duty lasted just under 10 years.”
How did you transition from production manager to sales?
“I actually left LD Davis in the fall of 2004 to begin a new career in custom home building and real estate sales. We all know what happened in the housing market about three years ago. Tripp Davis, LD Davis’s President, had mercy on me and let me come back at the end of 2009 as a salesman....and the rest is history."
What would you say is your favorite part of your current job?
"I would say that the best part of my job is being able to meet and work with so many diverse people and applications. My main focus is the bookbinding industry (Graphic Arts). We are problem solvers and it is exciting to find solutions for our customer’s/prospect’s challenges. My production background helps me understand the needs and concerns of our customers. I learn something new every day and hope to build relationships wherever I go."
Can you describe how LD Davis animal glues (HIDE GLUES) are eco-friendly?
"Absolutely! Our animal glues are made out of natural resources that are considered “green”. They offer an alternative to petroleum produced adhesives. They melt at a lower temperature, therefore saving energy and you can even clean up with hot water instead of solvents."
What’s the most interesting animal glue sales call you’ve been on?
"That is really hard to say, as I mentioned I love seeing new applications for a glue that has been around for 1,000’s of years. But one of my first joint sales calls was with Bill McCalla, one of our other salesmen. We went on a call to a chicken packing plant. We were able watch the entire process from beginning to end and see just what they mean by 10% water being added to chicken meat . . . I was in awe of the whole thing and learned a lot . . . I also got “Chicken Juice” all over my new shoes!!!!!”
What’s your 6-word memoir for LD Davis?
Animal glue: Building Life long bonds.
Custom adhesive solutions for every application.
We make ecoadhesives-that’s awesome, right?!
