Hi-Tech Building Systems

Realizing the challenges of penetrating multiple markets with limited funds, Ron Jupiter, President of Hi-Tech, focused his attention on the enormous pet industry and was able to secure an SBA term loan in conjunction with an SBA backed Line of Credit through working with the SBDC and Randy Osterloo of First Premier Bank.

South Dakota SBDC counselor Mark Slade assisted Hi-Tech Building Systems with their business plan, marketing, and financial productions. The financial productions were used to secure a term loan for assets and an SBA secured line of credit to buy inventory. Hi-Tech has already outgrown their first location and are considering expanding to additional shifts in their new building. Winning a 3rd Place award in the 2006 Governor’s Giant Vision competition provides Hi-Tech recognition for having an innovative product that is creating truly incremental jobs and revenue into the economy of South Dakota. Over 99% of their sales have been to customers outside of South Dakota, and Hi-Tech even has interest from customers in other countries such as Canada and England. Hi Tech has recently landed a multi-million dollar contract to supply 500 Lowe’s stores on the west coast with a cedar line of doghouses, replacing Lowe’s current line of Igloo doghouses.

Interest in their units has come from beyond the home-pet industry as well. Hi- Tech has also had conversations with government entities interested in their products for use with work dogs utilized for tasks such as search and rescue.