Colorado Serum Company: The Test of Time
Colorado Serum Company uses 100 years’ worth of company experience to help navigate today’s marketplace challenges.
Meet the leader. David Huff is vice president of Colorado Serum Company.
1. Your company has survived everything from the Great Depression to a world war, and lots of M&A activity in the industry. How did that shape your response to operating amid a pandemic?
Huff: While current ownership wasn’t around during the Great Depression or World War II, the stories of how the company survived these events are well known. When my grandfather was drafted into WWII, he left behind a very capable team to see the company through the years he was gone. There has always been an incredible team of captains steering the ship. If the company’s survival depended upon the guidance of a single person, we wouldn’t be in a position to celebrate 100 years of business today.
During the pandemic, it would have been tempting to shut everything down until the storm had blown over. But everyone here knew that our work was essential, because our products save animal lives and, therefore, contribute to the well-being of humans.
2. How resilient is the animal health industry compared to other sectors?
Huff: We’ve heard time and time again from experts that the animal health industry is very poised to weather a true worldwide depression (which many believe we will see at the end of this decade). Not only being a vital global source of food, but animals also provide humans with a unique sense of joy and comfort – we saw how many people rushed out to get a pet to help them emotionally survive the pandemic.
3. How do you balance certain old-school philosophies with staying current, and even looking ahead, to industry innovations?
Huff: Call it adhering to our historic philosophies or just plain dumb luck; we have seen a certain fondness for returning to doing business during the “good old days.” Having a live person answer the phone, welcoming school groups and others within the industry for tours of our facilities, making products that no one else will because they have small margins yet are still essential – these are the things we hear from our customers that they value, especially in a world that often can feel impersonal, cold and sold out to profit.
Moving a 100-year-old company into the modern world often feels like dragging, but I think we’ve walked a balanced line of embracing technology which makes our customers’ lives easier without getting caught up in trendy movements that won’t last.
As for the future, it seems ironic, but I believe what will help guide us forward is our past. Because my father and grandfather have adhered throughout the decades of doing business with honesty, transparency, and respect, often the business we need for future growth comes to us. Years and years of developing solid relationships have positioned this company well in partnering with others in the industry in developing and manufacturing new products as well as discovering new and potentially revolutionary science. Our industry knows we’re here for the long haul and are up for the challenges because we’ve proven it.
