As sales increased it became inevitable that Jerome had to increase his workforce and bring in qualified people to help with the small business that was rapidly turning into a multi-million dollar company.
In 1986 Frank Moore, Hardy’s son-in-law, became president of Hardy Manufacturing Company. Armed with an Engineering Degree, he was a perfect match for a company which was continually testing new materials, exploring new concepts and monitoring the latest technical advances.
The facilities were expanded to 35,000 square feet with a workforce of 50 people. These changes, along with hard work, quickly paid off as sales climbed quickly toward $6 million annually.
Hardy Manufacturing is the largest buyer of 304 stainless steel in the southeast. With sales exceeding 2,500 furnaces a year and over 55,000 furnaces previously sold, the Hardy claim of being the No. 1 manufacturer of outside wood burning furnaces in the world has no challengers.