Torch, Spring 1986

M ost people have never heard of Hartco, Inc. But it's safe to say that most have at least seen their main product. In fact, each fall millions of people see it thrown, kicked , slammed, and abused in every con– ceivable way. Hartco makes materials for the manufacture of footballs. All the inner liners for the footballs used by the NFL and the USFL are manufactured by Hartco. In fact, Hartco's market share of liners and vinyl covered footballs is nearly 100 percent in the U .S. and 86 percent worldwide. There was a time, however, when the former parent company, Dayco of Dayton, Ohio, didn't think there was a bright future for this subsidiary. In late 1981 Dayco sold it to Bob and his brother, Dan, who gave it the present name. They started with 16 em– ployees and only one developed line of products. Today, there are 42 full– and part-time employees who produce items for six different prod– uct lines while gross sales have dou– bled to approximately $3 million . Sounds like a success story not uncommon in business. However, Hartenstein would hasten to say that Hartco would not be where it is today except for the grace of God and His willingness to bless the honoring of His principles taught in the Bible. "I think," said Hartenstein, "that if you look at successful companies, if you really dig down deep, you'll find that in some way they are honoring God's laws whether they realize it or not." In 1982, after six to eight months of deep soul searching, Hartco's administrative team (all Christians) realized that they had to identify the company with Christ. So they substi– tuted a cross for the "T" in the Hartco. This wasn't for good luck. They really wanted people to know the company was Christ's - that they were willing to do business in a way that honored God by identifying with His finished work. The articles of incorporation were amended to include another purpose for Hartco's existence - "the fur– therance of the gospel of Christ." Scripture was added to the shipping labels and Proverbs 22: I was placed on a newly acquired product line in 1983. This commitment alone pro– duced a change for the better in the buffing pads made for the auto indus– try. Without a word being said, the quality went up noticeably. "It was as if the employees took extra pride in their workmanship now that Hartco was identified with the Lord," Har– tenstein commented. The Bible teaches that commit– ment to honor God reaps the blessing of God . " ... for them that honor Me I will honor, and they that despise Me will be lightly esteemed" (I Sam– uel 2:30). "Honor the Lord with thy substance . .. so shall thy barns be filled with plenty .. ." (Proverbs 3:9, 10). Once they had positioned the busi– ness as a Christian company, Hartenstein and his managers settled another matter. Hartco would not make decisions with profit as the motivation . Rather , it would base the company's actions upon how those actions affected employees and their families. "We made a commitment to our people," explained Hartenstein. "God willing, there would be no layoffs during lean times. I knew all the business formulas that dealt with head counts and break evens. Most businesses who apply them cut heads if they are not generating profits ." A text in James 5 convicted Hartenstein that he couldn't lay off any of his people . " ... ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you ... Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth ; and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth" (James 5: 1-4). Hartenstein testified that God led him to believe that he could not take away an employee's livelihood in order to ensure a profit for the com– pany. He remarked, "It's our feeling that when we hire a person we com– mit the company to be used by God to meet the basic family needs of each new worker." Thus, when lean times came to test Hartco's resolve, employees were re– tained and kept busy painting walls and cleaning equipment. Alternative product lines were expanded. The buffing pad product line was ac– quired, then increased . Formerly made by part-timers and fill-ins from slower departments , now five full– time employees manufacture over 225,000 pads each year. And Har– tenstein contends that they are now superior to any other pad on the mar– ket, thanks to quality-conscious per– sonnel. 9