Terry said with other larger distributors, consumers may have to purchase a large amount of a chemical in order to get a good price. The company tries to purchase these chemicals from manufacturers in the U.S.
“We’re able to pass on those savings to the consumers where they only need a quart or a gallon,” Terry said.
Earlier this year as shelves were cleared of hand sanitizer amid the COVID-19 pandemic, some businesses bought the raw materials and made their own.
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The company’s isopropyl alcohol is listed as a bestseller on Amazon’s website.
“We are expanding our business and this (funding) may give us a push to hire more people immediately and get ahead in our business as well,” Terry said. “We’ve been growing every year for the last five years.”
Because of its online model, Belle Chemical has been able to continuously offer these raw materials that are in high demand. The company gets the chemicals directly from the source. For example, Belle Chemical gets its isopropyl alcohol from ExxonMobil.
Terry employs 14 workers, and plans to hire and train 18 more over the next two years. They’ll work in production and management positions as the company adds two more production lines, Terry said.
“Ninety-nine percent of our revenue comes from outside of Montana,” Terry said. “…We’re bringing that money outside of Montana into Montana and creating those jobs.”
