Document 10mx21GVYNekX6opR9Ean4O4j

& THE CHAMELEON A. migizine for employees of The Sherwin-Williams Co. Published at Cleveland Headquarters since January, 1898. : ; ; ; : .- ' . ; 601 Canal Road, Cleveland, Ohio & VOLUME 25, NUMBER 10 Edited byE.W. Garfield OCTOBER, 1924 A Message from the President TO THE ORGANIZATION: While the final annual statements of our year, closing August 31st, are not as yet completed, but will be now within a few days, the writer feels justified in taking a little chance, due to the opportunity presented by this issue of The Chameleon, to express briefly what we may expect in the final reports as the results of our last year's work. The departmental records are coming through fast from the general accountants, carrying such facts as suggest, first, tendering to the entire organization the thanks of the management for the splendid co-operation and the action of all in every section and department of the business for his or her part in the work that has been done. As stated, it will be some days before the final reports will be completed, but analyses give us a fair line on what the general final results should show in production and sales. The units of output are pretty much on a parity with that of last year in most of the depart ment^. All have performed well and delivered goods of quality and of splendid appearance, and with promptness better than ever before, which in itself is an achievement. The grand consolidated gross sales report shows 2.6 per cent gain over last year's business. In this, of course, it must be understood that some departments have shown losses while others have made gains, but the total will be as cited above. The final net profits of the business cannot be estimated with any degree of safety until the final reports are out, but due to some increases in cost of production as well as cost of marketing, reasons for which are many and could not be discussed in a letter of this kind, the results will not be in keeping with last year's earnings. The personnel of the entire organization has remained practically intact during the year just closed, and we trust, by every one of us doing his or her part, it will continue so. It is our belief that of all the great assets of the company, none are more valued by the management than is the human element that goes to make up its organization, and the policy will be to continue to encourage long and faithful service by an effort to continue to try and make the company a good one to be associated with, and its offices and factories a good place in which to work. Our new year started September 1st, and we are glad to report the months of September and October up to this writing have been the greatest over any like period of any other year in the history of the business, both in sales and in production, and if the sign of the times and the expression of opinions on all the conditions which go to make for business, as rendered by the well-known and recognized leaders of finance and industry, are true, and we can see nothing to the contrary, our year of 1924-25 should be another record-breaker. With a flying start never equalled before, a clear field, and with the organization made up of what we believe to be the best in the country, and with facilities as near perfect as is possible to make them, we feel that the results to be obtained by way of increase is limited only by what the human element of this institution want to make it. Again assuring every individual of the sincere appreciation of the management and the writer in person, for the support and loyalty we have had in the past year, and believing there is no limit to your help for this current fiscal year, I am. Yours very truly, . N16024 : October, 1924 THE CHAMELEON 19 History of Sherwin-Williams Products By W. R. Sie p l e in Rote: The first two farts of this article ap peared in the last two issues of The Chameleon, fhc article is concluded in this issue. To handle the business in Canada to better advantage, a paint and varnish plant was erected in Montreal in 1895, this has since developed into The Sher win-Williams Co. of Canada, Ltd. To keep pace with the demand for enamels and paints with high gloss which were displacing the slower meth ods of applying color coats and subse quent varnishing, Buggy Paint and Enamel Paints were first made in 1894, Varnish Stains 1895 and Wagon Paint in 1896. Liquid Fillers was also added to the list in 1896, and 1897 brought the addition of Copper Paint and Oil Stains. Porch and Deck Paints were added in 1898, and Screen Enamels in 1899. The manufacture of special paints for Railway and Marine uses had devel oped to such an extent that in 1894 a special price list was issued featuring these products, and in 1899 the first price list for Street Railway Products : was issued. ^ All driers, japans and treated oils used in paints had been manufactured by the Company for many years, and during later*years also some varnishes were made. In 1896 this branch of the manufacture was much extended by the erection of a new and much larger plant embodying all the most modern equip ment. This resulted in putting a com plete line of Varnishes and Japans on the market in 1899. The leader of these was Kopal. Following shortly after Mr. Cottingliam's appointment as General Manager in 1898. began a policy of very rapid expansion to make the business com plete from the manufacture of raw' ma terials to the finished products. Manv new lines were added to provide prod ucts best adapted to a wide variety of special uses. ``Expansion" was the motto and the Company pursued the ambition to really ``Cover the Earth," so well illus trated in the design adopted in 1895, the inspiration of Mr. Geo. W. Ford, then advertising manager. In 1896 we began the manufacture of dry colors at Cleveland. A new plant was erected in 1899, and in 1903 the de partment was moved to Chicago to much larger quarters. Another dry _co!or plant was established at Newark \n 1911. The business in the Atlantic Coast states had grown to such an extent that it could not be well handled from Cleve land, and a new paint and varnish plant was established at Newark, N. J., in 1901. In 1902 a Linseed Oil Mill was erect ed in Cleveland to make the oils re quired in our own products. The manufacture of leaded zinc pig ment was commenced in 1904 through the purchase of a mine at Magdalena, When not writing history or at his desk W. R. Sieplein enjoys the outdoors. These were taken this summer on his vacation in Canada. New Mexico, and in 1906 the present smelter at Cofifeyville was erected. Continuing the general policy of pro ducing our own raw materials, a White Lead plant using the Dutch process was erected in Chicago in 1910. This supplied all the white lead used in the manufacture of paints and put ODP White Lead in Oil on the market. The Dry Color Plant was. of course, perfectly adapted to the production of Insecticides, so the Company's entry into the Insecticide business came about finite naturally Pari= Green was the best known and most generally used insecticide at the time. Though first made over a hundred years ago, as an artist's color, it was not until 1860 that it was used as an insecticide. We began to manufacture it in 1903, and followed shortly after with Arsenate of Lead. This was first made by Scheele, a Swedish chemist, in 1775. but was not used as an insecticide until the Massa chusetts Gypsy Moth Commission in 1892 found it was helpful in controlling the gypsy moth. Lime-Sulfur Solution was added to the line in 1910. It is interesting to note that iulfur was used even bv the early Greeks to control insects on plants and fruit trees. Pliny mentions that it was dusted on the fohage and on the ground and was burned in the or chards. Lime and sulfur combined as an insecticide was first used in 1845 in England. In 1915 Dry Lime-Sulfur was brought out and patented by The S-W Co., introducing an entirely new product in the insecticide field. In 1913 the Department of Agriculture found that the cotton boll weevil could be controlled by the use of Arsenate of Calcium, and in 1918 we also took up its manufacture. Discovery of this product also is credited to Scheele in 1775. Up to this time many other products had been added to the S-W line, the chief items being Floorlac, Floorwax, Aluminum Paint, and Machine Paint and Filler, in 1901; Shellacine ami Crack and Seam Filler, in 1902; Com monwealth Barn Red. Enameloid, Metalastic, Mar-not and Dry-o-night. in 1903; 1904 brought the addition of Sheep Marking Liquid, Snow White Enamel, Polish-ol and Taxite. Flattone was included in the list in 1906. during which year Handcraft Stains. Shingle Stain and Ebonol were also added. The manufacture of linseed oil snap was first undertaken in 1908. when Flaxoap was put on the market, and in 1909 Concrete Finishes were added to the list. Old Dutch Enamel under the present name was first brought out in 1910, though the same product had been made under the name Enamelastie since 1906. Commonwealth Barn Gray. Carbolic-ol, Bras-Brite. Scar-not and Rexpar were added to tiie list in I'd3 and 1914. At the outbreak of the war in 1914. consideration was given to the manu facture of aniline dyes and interniedi- ft .llll'" -A > . ? syp 0522 20 THE CHAMELEON' October, Denver Store Has Real Outing 1 The History of Sherwin- Williams Products i, (Concluded from I'agc 19) ates which were imported from Ger A very complete plant for the pro frequently led in new developnit duction of Lithopone was erected in This has required change from brt many. The Manufacturing; Committee Chicago in 1917, thus completing facili ing material to that adapted for in session during the early days of the ties to manufacture the most important many other methods introduced war decide^! that active research should raw materials used in S-W products. modern factory practice, such as t be commenced at once. Accordingly in The Pacific Coast business demanded ping, first largely used in the agri< October. 1914. the first real work in better service than was offered from the tural implement manufacture ab making Beta Naphthol was undertaken. eastern plants, so another plant was fifty years ago, spraying, first atteir, The first attempt was only partially established at San Francisco. This be ed on a large scale in painting successful, but the work was carried on gan operating on September 26, 1919. World's Fair Buildings in Chica with great energy and speed, much of In 1921 the manufacture of cans was 1893, and the later methods of flood the strength of the Company being fo discontinued at j leveland and moved or flowing introduced about 1906 cused on this important development. to Chicago to a new plant embodying keep up to'quantity production in im New men were brought into the organi all the latest features in automatic tin ern automobile plants, and the c->ati zation, a great deal of money was in can machinery. process used for painting sheet niel vested in plant and the manufacture of A new plant for the manufacture of etc., about 1890. many products established. This de partment has been developed until the Company ranks as one of the strongest now in the field. Beta Naphthol. Para Nitraniline. Toluidine M and a consid erable number of other intermediates and dyes are being made in large quan tities and comprise a large share of the production in the United States. In 1917 a plant for the production of Acetic Acid was started in Chicago to White Lead by the Carter process was added in 1921, and shortly after includ ed also a plant for the manufacture of Litharge and Red Lead. In accordance with the general pro gressive policy of the Company, Zilo was introduced early in 1921, thus giv ing to the painter a lead in oil combined with zinc in such a manner as to permit him to use it in every way exactly the same as he does lead in oil. The war brought to us many reqtie for materials of a wide variety of us Special camouflage colors were ma for painting ships. A great many d ferent finishes were produced for shel varnish and other materials for a planes. Enormous quantities we made for buildings. Finishes for mot transports were supplied to mai manufacturers of trucks and autom biles. make the ever-increasing quantity re- For a number of years we had been auired for dye. dr\- color and insecticide making Pyroxylin Enamels and Lac During all this long period the Ow manufacture. The surplus was sold di quers in a small way. and during the pany has occupied a pre-eminent pos T rect to other consumers. This business fall of 1921 a new department was tion in the industry, always making tl grew so rapidly that in 1921 another plant created at Chicago to produce it in com best possible product for the purpat was erected at Bound Brook. mercial quantities, thus keeping abreast intended and selling it for a reasonab The distillation of coal-tar was com of the times with the new development price. Everything possible has bee menced in Chicago late in 1914. This in these artistic and quick drying fin done to utilize new developments in tl plant provided much more capacity for ishes. This type of finish was first science of paint, varnish and color mal Ebonol. and added to the list during made in England by Alexander Parkes ing to bring new products before tb the next year or two. Phenolene ami in 1855, but its use has been extended trade. This sound police, coupled wit other disinfectants, Kiltik, Roof Ce very largely during the last five years. aggressive management, has caused tit ment. etc. The Advertising Department felt the In addition to the items mentioned which were introduced for distribution wonderful growth of the Grand 01 Company's business from 83 product: need of greater uniformity in the ap to the trade through our agents, there total production of 450,000 pounds, t pearance of the many lines of paints and varnishes offered to the trade, and as the result designed the present S-W Products label, which was adopted as have been innumerable products manu factured for industrial consumption and for railroads and steamships. These products have kept pace with changes nearly 6000 separate products durin; the successful 1623 vear just closed ait' the enormous total of over 11'O.OOO.Ot pounds. the standard for all products in 1917. in the processes of painting, and have --The End-- 7 SUP 052268