Kelly Products Celebrates 25 Years in Georgia

Staff Report From Georgia CEO

Thursday, April 12th, 2018

Kelly Products, a holding corporation comprised of 12 agribusiness-focused companies located throughout Georgia, recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. For two and a half decades, Kelly Products has explored and invested in new ways to improve agricultural endeavors using information technology and automation innovations.

"We're proud of our heritage and longstanding presence in the Metro Atlanta and North Georgia communities where we do business," said Keith Kelly, president and CEO of Kelly Products. "As much as we appreciate our history and where we've been, we're also looking forward to the future and the potential it brings—for our company, our employees and our communities."

Kelly Products began operations in 1993 with two primary goals: to produce a more efficient formulation and distribution system for plant protection products; and to create software that would streamline the plant protection products registration process. The company's innovative spirit led to the formation of its 12 other businesses and brands, including:

  • Kelly Packaging, manufacturer of Sevin Dust

  • Kelly Manufacturing, outdoor products manufacturing

  • Contract Packaging, manufacturing services with complete solutions and dedicated facilities for formulation, packaging and distribution, inventory tracking, production monitoring and shipping.

  • Kelly Registration Systems, offering licensing and registration software to state departments of agriculture, regulated agencies and consumers

  • Great Estates Landscaping, a full-service residential and commercial landscaping operation

  • Farmview Market, a specialty grocery, full-service butcher shop, casual café and farmers market, all featuring locally sourced products

  • EST/C'Mere Deer, a manufacturer of scientifically advanced deer attractants

  • Arrow Dynamics/Swhacker, a provider of broadheads with unique blade designs

  • Recon Archery, a manufacturer of archery vanes and accessories

  • Great Estates Landscaping Christmas Décor, offering season-specific landscaping décor and lighting services

  • AJC Precision, a provider of custom fabrication and tool and die

  • Kelly Farm Operations, farming operations specializing in grass-fed cattle, hogs, heirloom corn and commercial crops

"Since our inception, Kelly Products has been committed to its employees and their families. Across our businesses, we employ more than 200 Georgia residents full-time as well as 300-plus additional part-time workers, including high school and college students," said Keith Kelly. "Our people are our greatest assets and we're dedicated to their personal and professional development. When you care about people and they know, it becomes a reciprocal relationship where they're investing in you, too."

As an example of its employee-focused endeavors, Kelly Products started a company garden in 2007 to provide fresh produce for employees and their families. Today, the 11-acre, certified naturally grown farm yields more than 100,000 pounds of produce each year as well as other goods like chicken, eggs, pork and beef.

The company's philanthropic activities are woven into its culture, with many employees giving directly and participating in volunteer efforts. The company supports numerous children's and health ministries and other faith-based organizations, including Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, CURE, Jay's Hope, Erin's Hope, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Young Life, Final Frontiers, Action Ministries and others.

In its 25 years of operation, Kelly Products, its leadership and staff have earned praise from state leaders and customers. In commemorating the anniversary, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black said that "Kelly remains a pioneer in the service field of regulatory data management for pesticide products." Black also noted that Keith Kelly's latest venture, Farmview Market, is "setting new standards for farm-to-table enterprises."