X2671 Centennial Poster 1
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THE f irst DECADE 1902-1911 B. W. McCausland, first president of United States Gypsum Company 1902-1904 The quarry crew of the Alabaster, Michigan mine 1903 “We know what we are doing, and we do it right.” THE RED BOOK FOR BUILDERS AND PLASTERERS 1905 EDITION South Chicago plaster plant’s watchdog, “Prince,” was also a company product logo CIRCA. 1908 Six ships of the Gypsum Royal Fleet transported raw “rock” Pyrobar, a fireproof building from Nova Scotia to the U.S. block invented at the company in 1903 RESPONSIBILITY RESPONSIBILITY MEANS LIVING UP TO YOUR PROMISES. That includes promises to customers, employees, shareholders, the industry and the community. United States Gypsum Company was founded in 1902 to: –Provide customers with better, safer building products. – Give employees opportunity and keep them safe. – Earn money for shareholders. – Serve a broader market of builders with economies of scale. For a century, this company has worked hard to honor our basic responsibilities. Our future success holds much promise, as it is built on a rock solid foundation. X2671A/2-02 © 2002, USG Corporation Printed in U.S.A. THE second DECADE 1912-1921 The Oakfield, NY plant was among the first three to manufacture Sackett board, precursor to SHEETROCK. Integrity is the cornerstone of our business… because how we work is based on trust. INTEGRITY MEANS ALWAYS BEING HONEST AND STRAIGHTFORWARD IN EVERY ASPECT OF OUR BUSINESS, from our business dealings to our products. Long-time CEO Sewell Avery said of our early salespeople, “These traveling representatives of our company have been selected and trained with careful regard to their integrity.” The U.S. Gypsum Company Product Guarantee in The 1916 Red Book for Architects and Contractors promised “No guesswork, no carelessness, no weakness at any point.” Integrity continues to be a bedrock principle of our company. INTEGRITY “We tell the truth to customers, to suppliers, to employees.” THE RED BOOK FOR BUILDERS AND PLASTERERS 1905 EDITION SHEETROCK Brand Gypsum Panels were introduced to market in 1916. Early on, the company name and advertising positioned United States Gypsum Company as a national leader. (CIRCA. 1914) X2671B/2-02 © 2002, USG Corporation Printed in U.S.A. THE third DECADE 1922-1931 Safety encompassed all aspects of U.S. Gypsum’s operations, from manu- facturing to mining to material transportation. The Mine Safety and Health Administration has named USG the winner of its “Sentinel of Safety” award 15 times— more than any other single manufacturer. RIGHT: U.S. Gypsum was one of the first companies to use “lock-out” switches to protect employees from accidental equipment start-ups during mainte- nance or trouble-shooting. BELOW: U.S. Gypsum’s employee safety program helped keep our miners out of danger. ABOVE: Following proper safety procedures and wearing safety goggles was a part of everyday life for employees. LEFT: U.S. Gypsum Company was a founding member of the National Safety Council, established in 1913. Sewell Lee Avery, president of U.S. Gypsum Company, 1905-1936; SAFETY chairman, 1936-1951 AT USG, SAFETY ISN’T JUST A MOTTO—IT’S A WAY OF LIFE. By the 1920s, U.S. Gypsum was one of the few companies that held itself 100 percent accountable for employee safety. At a time when workplace safety regulations and workers compensation did not even exist, U.S. Gypsum took care of its own. Why? Because we realized that safe working conditions are essential for continued growth. And, more to the point, we viewed employees not just as workers, but as members of the U.S. Gypsum family. Our commitment to safety has only grown through the years. Today, U.S. Gypsum’s safety record is two times better than the average for the rest of the gypsum industry. In the past year alone, three of our plants—Hagersville, Cloquet and Sweetwater— have set industry records for hours worked with no lost-time injuries. The U.S. Gypsum “polliwog” served as the company logo for more than 60 years. X2671C/4-02 © 2002, USG Corporation Printed in U.S.A. THE fourth DECADE 1932-1941 ABOVE: This sign, which was prominently displayed for decades at the Greenville, Miss., plant says it all. BELOW: This graph shows the results of a gypsum calcination test conducted in 1943. It was part of U.S. Gypsum’s ongoing research efforts to improve wallboard performance. WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, U.S. GYPSUM COMPANY STANDS BY ITS EMPLOYEES. Few times have been tougher than the Great Depression of the 1930s… and few companies showed more compassion for their employees during that time than U.S. Gypsum Company. The company kept as many people as possible employed by reducing work schedules and creating facility improvement and maintenance projects. U.S. Gypsum Company extended credit and provided interest-free loans to employees to help them purchase goods and pay rent. Management even acted as advocates for employees with landlords and other creditors. In the 1940s and in the decades that followed, it was the character and commitment that U.S. Gypsum showed its employees— New literature was created to support the company’s growing family of products. and the character and commitment that employees showed in return— that saw the company through hard times. RELATIONSHIPS WITH EMPLOYEES “In the present depressed state of business, there is another responsibility: to alleviate the distress incident to unemployment.” O.M. KNODE, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, U.S. GYPSUM COMPANY, 1931-1935; PRESIDENT, 1936-1941 U.S. Gypsum helped keep America working throughout the Great Depression. X2671D/4-02 © 2002, USG Corporation Printed in U.S.A. THE f ifth DECADE 1942-1951 U.S. Gypsum products were used to build factories support- ing the World War II effort. LEFT: New 1940s literature promoted the new benefits of SHEETROCK Brand Gypsum Panels. BELOW: George Catalano, seen here in 1946, was a principal of Boston-based Catalano Brothers, a long- time U.S. Gypsum distributor. “We have always expanded to take care of our customers’ needs.” C.H. SHAVER, CHAIRMAN, U.S. GYPSUM COMPANY, 1951-1967 A sales team discusses regional strategies for improving customer satisfaction. RELATIONSHIPS WITH CUSTOMERS A HALLMARK OF U.S. GYPSUM’S REMARKABLE SUCCESS LIES IN OUR ABILITY TO MEET EVOLVING CUSTOMER NEEDS. In the 1940s, the needs of our customers changed dramatically… and U.S. Gypsum literally reinvented itself to meet those needs. As soldiers returned home following World War II, the housing market of the 1940s boomed. GI’s and their families needed low-cost homes to begin their lives anew. ® U.S. Gypsum’s SHEETROCK Brand Gypsum Panels provided a perfect low-cost method for building those homes. The demand for drywall skyrocketed. U.S. Gypsum added four wallboard plants, two paper mills, a modern ship-loading facility and two gypsum ships. This increased capacity met the growing market demand and helped “Build America.” The U.S. Gypsum booth at the 1947 NAHB Conference, held at the Stevens Hotel located on Michigan Avenue in Chicago. X2671E/4-02 © 2002, USG Corporation Printed in U.S.A. THE sixth DECADE 1952-1961 A new state-of-the-art USG Research Center (ABOVE & FAR RIGHT) was opened in Des Plaines, Ill., in 1961. THROUGHOUT THE 1950s, U.S. GYPSUM COMPANY TURNED OUT INNOVATION AFTER INNOVATION, dramatically improving the performance and application ease of drywall, joint compound and dozens of other building products. U.S. Gypsum’s Research Village promoted the development of innovative, affordable housing. Among the myriad of new product introductions, U.S. Gypsum developed the first ready-mixed joint compound and the first tapered-edge gypsum panel, featuring recessed edges for easier, smoother joint finishing. In 1955, the company unveiled its Research Village, a collection of futuristic homes designed by leading architects featuring extensive use of U.S. Gypsum products. The village was the “highlight” of the 10th annual National Association of Home Builders convention and received prominent national media coverage. “Builders of medium- and low-cost homes must be offered more comfort…more livability… more safety…more value.” THE STORY OF RESEARCH VILLAGE, PUBLISHED BY U.S. GYPSUM COMPANY, 1954 INNOVATION Tooling for this streamlined General Motors LeSabre test car was created using HYDROCAL® Gypsum Cement. U.S. Gypsum’s Popular Home magazine provided home- owners with the latest design and remodeling ideas. X2671F/4-02 © 2002, USG Corporation Printed in U.S.A. THE seventh DECADE 1962-1971 U.S. Gypsum’s hardboard products were used in home furnishings during the 1960s. “In order to improve its share of available volume, USG has moved to meet the shifting demands of the marketplace, with products and marketing strategy related to new needs.” W.R. WEIDMAN, GROUP VICE PRESIDENT, CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS (1969 ANNUAL REPORT) A whimsical USG literature piece opened new marketing opportunities circa 1963. BELOW RIGHT: U.S. Gypsum exhibited new products at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York City. U.S. Gypsum’s Cavity Shaft Wall System revolutionized high-rise construction around the world. OPPORTUNITY Diversification was a major theme of the 1960s, as U.S. Gypsum This Chicago Corporate took full advantage of a wide range of business opportunities— Headquarters building, located on Wacker Drive, was built in 1963. both domestically and abroad. THE COMPANY CAPITALIZED ON EXISTING STRENGTHS, EXPLORED NEW MARKETS AND ACQUIRED BUSINESSES to offer an array of new product lines from paints to construction adhesives. U.S. Gypsum’s proprietary metal-framed drywall system revolutionized commercial wall construction practices in the 1960s. And our new Cavity Shaft Wall System proved to be the choice for high-rises worldwide including, Chicago’s Sears Tower and later, the Petronis Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.