| From "Newark - The City of Industry"
- 1912:
Murphy Varnish Company, both by the volume of its business and
the quality of its products, is a manufacturing concern which reflects
credit on the City of Newark. The business was founded in 1865 by
Franklin Murphy, who has efficiently served in the capacity of chief
executive since its inception.
At first the company made varnish alone - but a few simple kinds
of varnish. From time to time they added other lines of manufacture
- Japans and surfacers and Japan colors and oil colors and enamels
and stains and Konkreto, until they now put forth a complete list
of finishing materials for everything that is finished with a brush.
Their great customers are railway and marine companies, architects
and builders, carriage and motor car and piano and furniture manufacturers
- but they provide the finishing materials for about everything
that is made of wood and steel and leather, and for many things
besides. They put out more than two hundred kinds of varnishes and
about twelve hundred shades of color, with a like completeness of
products in all other braches. The home factory in Newark has grown
to nearly the size of three city squares; and the establishing of
several other factories in Chicago and Cleveland and Montreal.
In reply to the question as to what had been his business policy,
Governor Murphy said; "Every manufacturer must decide upon
the kind of patronage to which he will appeal, and stick to that
kind. For instance, all kinds of finishing materials are required,
from the finest and most durable down to the temporary shines. I
decided, at the beginning of the business to make varnish for those
who required the best. I had a conviction that the use of best varnishes
would cost the user least money in the long run, or even in the
short run. In order to satisfy the demands of my chosen customers,
I knew that three things would be essential;
"First, I must provide ingredients of the best quality with
which to make the goods - there must be no cheap substituting, for
the sake of selling at a lower price.
"Second, I must provide a plant which would be as nearly
perfect as it was possible to devise; and I must adopt all improvement
in facilities and methods as increasing business and experience
demanded.
"Third. Most important of all, I must secure a working force,
every member of which, in office and laboratory and sales department
and process work, should be an enthusiast for Murphy Varnish Company;
always alert to do the best thing in the carefullest way - must
pay them so well and threat them so well, and give them such chances
for special rewards and for promotion, that they would be satisfied."
From the start the interests of the employees have been thoughtfully
looked after and they have responded by giving loyal and devoted
service. A number of the employees have been with the company more
than thirty years and a number more having reached the age of seventy
have retired under the Company's pension system.
It may be fairly claimed that no other manufacturing industry
in Newark has done more than the Murphy Varnish Company to make
the city widely known. Its advertisements have appeared systematically
in journals of national prominence, circulating in every village
in the United States. Its traveling staff visit at regular intervals
every town in the country of a thousand population or more, and
many towns numbering even less. The important cities of Europe are
also cared for and several of its important brands can be found
on the dealers' and consumers' shelves abroad, with the company's
labels printed in the language of the country, heralding the name
of Newark.
|
