Founding Philosophy
The Truman/Dunham partnership dissolved in 1870 and was replaced by Sherwin, Williams & Co. Its first year saw sales in excess of $420,000.
Sherwin was a big believer in seizing the day and all the potential it held. He was quoted as saying: “Great opportunities open to those who have the ability to see and grasp them.”
Formally educated only until age 13, he worked his way up in the business world holding progressive titles including clerk, bookkeeper and partner, not to mention a stint as an itinerant photographer.
Firsts and Milestones
The company’s milestones have been many: the first trade catalog in 1872; the first color card, titled “Our Own Colored Paints,” in 1873; and the beginning of tin can manufacturing in 1875. And that’s just the first 10 years.
Sherwin-Williams went on to introduce ready-mixed paints, go international, go public, and Sherwin himself even patented the resealable tin can. In fact, part of its own history is in preserving the history of the nation. The company’s Martin-Senour label introduced a “preservation palette” in 1965 for use at Williamsburg, Va.
Modern Times
Sherwin-Williams’ founding philosophy of grasping great opportunities is one the company still holds close.
In the 1980s, the company acquired Dutch Boy paint; in the 1990s, it acquired Krylon aerosol paint, DeSoto Consumer Paints, H&C concrete stains, Pratt & Lambert Paints, and Thompson Minwax, to name just a few.
And the progress continues. More recent years have found the opening of the World Automotive Center in Ohio; the development by the Krylon Products Group of Fusion for Plastic, a coating that actually bonds with plastic; and, just last year, the awarding of a $24 million U.S. Navy contract.
A colorful history indeed.
