ACME WHITE LEAD AND COLOR WORKS OPENING OF THE NEW ADMINISTRATION BUILDING JUNE 5, 1906 - AVERY LIBRARY -COLUIABIA UNIVERSITY SOUVENIR OF THE OPENING OF THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING OBSERVATIONS: OF OUR FACTORY MANAGER, MR. GORDON MONTAGU ACME WHITE LEAD AND COLOR WORKS DETROIT, MICHIGAN, U.S. A. EXTERIOR VIEW OF ADMINISTRATION BUILDING = O the kind friends who visit MeV ius today we bid a hearty <1; welcome, and at the same MAME time we tender our sincere thanks. With most of you, we recog- nize that your interest in ‘‘Acmeville’’ is in line with the good work you have done, and are still doing, for the industrial betterment of Detroit. You are wise to understand that this kind -of betterment is far-reaching and that it involves something more than busi- ness success, because it affects the moral and material welfare of the com- munity as a whole. What matters it if the importance of your work is not always understood? You have within yourselves the consciousness of well- doing. It is natural for some men to take narrow views of broad questions, and it is certainly true, that while the light shines for all, there are men who strenuously object to come within its radiance. Of this, however, you may be assured, that while others are neither workers nor sympathizers, they will not object to a share in the fruit of your labors—they will be seated at the feast whether as bidden guests or not. It is frequently said by this class of critics, that betterment work along in- dustrial lines has its origin, not in the desire for public good, but in selfishness —that sentiment has no place in business. This, in our view and experience, is a very grave error. Self-interest has certainly to be considered, as but few men are in business, carrying the burden with its endless cares and worries, be- cause they love it; but rather to provide a competence for themselves and those DACP eles oh gaan ne Goangeenr neers ee Te RES SAB ND AB POA ELST ORL Sie ala? MIL aan Sen Ee Sb RD Sache pe rerreeraprecrenrass TEs iP itasaoiRable URL LT chee ce & nah sean Re Le ak TICIEE uS=s Sree ieee apres ies WILLIAM L. DAVIES H. KIRKE WHITE President Vice-President Sonat ALBERT E. F. WHITE THOMAS NEAL Treasurer Secretary and General Manager ka Oe NTRANCE E LOBBY dependent on them. But while this is so, we hold it to be also true that business men, as a rule, are largely influenced by sentiment or kindly feeling. And why not? A business policy that eliminates sentiment, we judge to be not a good policy, and we know whereof we speak. There are things, precious things, that money can never buy. It can and does ‘purchase perfunctory service, but it can not and does not purchase loyalty and good will, without which no service is worth the having. But the erroneous conclusions and hypercritical statements of those who are unwilling to assist in the laudable work of industrial and social advancement, need not be seriously con- sidered. If you, gentlemen, had been content with the day of small things, Detroit would have posed as a sorry figure, indeed. If the Acme White Lead and Color Works had been content with the day of small things, the Administration Build- ing, which you have done us the honor to inspect, would not have been re- quired or even possible. Happily for Detroit, the Spirit of Progress animates this firm as it does yourselves, and not the few, but all are really and truly benefited. 3 If we are disposed to do just a little bragging on our own account, you will no doubt make proper allowance, and consider the justification. In the past we “tooted our little horn’’ because it was all-sufficient. If we now require a megaphone, who will question the wis- dom of its use? Modesty never counsels real merit to conceal itself; modesty counsels none to be backward where duty points the way—we blush, but we do our duty. a PRESIDENT’S OFFICE ae h Se Having passed our twenty-first mile- stone, we are now of legal age, and have reached the stature of manhood. It is common to speak of growth, but it is thought and not mere growth that makes perfect manhood. It is largely because our thinking apparatus has been in good order that we are able to welcome you without apology for that which might have been, being reasonably satisfied with that which is. We presume that it is fair to say that we have taken advan- tage of opportunities, but we can also say that if opportunity was tardy in coming our way, it has been part of our business policy to go out and look for it. We first saw daylight in 1884, and although our environment might have been more pretentious, at this time we feel no particular embarrassment at the reminiscence. The greatest events in the world’s history dawned with no more noise than the morning star makes in rising, for which reason you, gentlemen, may not have particularly noted our birth, but of the fact that we were born there can be no doubt. Corporations are very much like in- dividuals, inasmuch as there are certain Stages, each marking an epoch in the history of life. It was no doubt a for- tunate circumstance that we were nursed by those who understood the art of nursing, and so in due time we waxed fat and lusty. We had our infantile troubles, but even in our colicky days there was indicated lung power and per- sistence that demanded our share of pap. Since then, we have been too busy in caring for what we got to worry over what we failed to get. SALES, CORRESPONDENCE, FILING UE SRN AE eee STENOGRAPHIC DEPARTMENT i) a Xd S &) 4) = d S NX ~ Q ei = Q eS S = Q | ~y S i) In youth, we built our castles and, as events proved, we builded better than we knew. If we live to the close of the current year, we will probably have mul- _tiplied our original capital two hundred and twenty times, or an average of ten times for each year of our existence. For a strictly manufacturing business, void of all speculative features, it does sound in- credible, does it not? Yet the facts are there to say so. “How has it been accomplished? What is the secret of success?’’ you ask. These are questions much easier asked than answered. Perhaps a combination of many things; certainly no one thing. — There may be secrets locked within the recesses of some one brain, to account for or to command success, but we doubt it. Neither do we believe in the old saw of ‘‘good luck.’’ We prefer to think that good luck is the pay for patience and preseverance along intelligent and proper lines. We affirm that a prerequisite for business success is knowledge. That the Acme White Lead and Color Works has, in an eminent degree, that knowledge covering paints and var- nishes and that the “Acme Quality’’ products are of the highest degree of excellence, goes without the saying; but this does not fully answer the question. We know it to be a fundamental principle of business, that success or failure depends largely on the quality of management. We do not recall that bad management ever harvested a crop of anything more valuable than liabilities. So far as the Acme White Lead and Color Works is concerned, the quality of management is not obscured. It is to Binet tt ete . a en : . TR es es a bee cs eat ~ ie LO A LUNCH ONVENTION HALL POUT Aynih Sore tobe cerneene, SOEs Be Late rae SS WHITE LEAD AND COLOK- 4} THE LARGEST PAINT AND } KS, DETROIT, MICHIGAN, U. S. ISH PLANT IN THE WORLD - eenemememennens SS ee mig gteemtrnen pn ner REO RGS S OFFICE 2 1ANAGER CTORY id FA we Nm Pe tig FACTORY OFFICE be seen in the records and in the visible signs of material progress, our new Administration Building and those other buildings which cover our fourteen acres of ground; but even this does not answer your questions or explain the why and the wherefore. What then - shall we say? The destiny of ‘“Acmeville’’ has from the inception, been controlled by the same hands, William L. Davies, President, H. Kirke White, Vice-President, A. E. F. White, Treasurer, Thomas Neal, Sec- retary and General Manager—all of whose photographs are shown on the pages of this booklet. To many of you they are fimiliar. You know the faces and you know the men. Perhaps, so knowing, - you may consider the questions answered but may yet be in doubt as to there being some valuable secret. Gentlemen, the Acme White Lead and Color Works has no secret in this — connection. There are contributory causes for our phenomenal success, but they are invoked by the system of man- agement which recognizes in every other man,amanandabrother. This explains why we have more than the usual num- ber of old employes whose service is near- ly coeval with the life of the firm. Our management has faith in the personal equation—the magnetism which draws and retains the services of competent assistants. ‘They fight and win battles. ‘They face all kinds of difficulties with the steadiness of veterans, and they re- lieve of a burden which otherwise would become intolerable. In fact, this kind of management inspires a loyalty and co- operation, which for the Acme White Lead and Color Works has been im- EMPLOYES’ MUSIC AND REST ROOM Rue mi oe ee ' Mt RSE SR hes RTH IE " ORT ree ORR ae ai Bee Ue eon = Pe eS es 5 ee _ x A SECTION OF THE CHEMICAL LA mensely effective. Good will is a mighty factor in business life, but it must be sincere, for unless a man has that good will in his own heart, he will certainly fail to inspire it in others. He can fool - himself, but is not likely to successfully fool others. There was a time when managers considered it indispensable that they build walls and dig ditches, that the endless detail was “‘up to them,” and so they went to their graves, unhonored and unsung. For up-to-date manage- - ment, that day has passed. Time is too precious to be frittered' away on the smaller things which a smaller man can do as readily, or better. Management may be either harsh or beneficent. The former rarely pays, and the latter rarely fails. The rank and file are always and particularly worth a little extra consideration. In your wanderings around ‘‘Acme- ville’? today you probably noted that sanitary conditions were on a par with the best. The business of our laundry is to supply towels and aprons to meet all requirements. In our store-room you saw stocks of coffee, tea and sugar. Milk comes in fresh daily. At the noon hour tables are loaded with cups and saucers and coffee pots. It is there free, not for the asking, but for the helping of one’s self. In the cafe you will have noted how clerks and heads of departments are provided for. In a remote part of the main stock building ‘‘far from the madding crowd,’’ there is a little room where the tem- porarily sick may recline until better or be visited by a physician. A well stocked Srna Saat a Be Y COLOR DEPARTMENT library supplies mental pabulum for those who need or desire. A music room with an excellent piano, magazines, etc., provides both rest and recreation. A convention hall with a seating capacity - of one thousand gives facilities for banquets, dances, reunions, etc. A re- lief association furnishes financial aid in sickness, accident insurance pro- vides for disability—and so it goes. Anything which tends to ameliorate the condition of factory life, without impair- ing efficiency or discipline, is within the -scope of Acme management, and possibly reveals the secret you are looking for or answers the questions you have asked. The Scriptural command, that breth- ren shall agree, is not always observed in business life, and directors may have conflicting ideas which are not con- ductive to business health or longevity. Each can claim the right to ride his own hobby, but there are times when it is better that the hobby be left in the stable. Assuming that a directorate of four men could harmonize so perfectly during the long period of twenty-one years that in the retrospect not one discordant note was apparent, that mutual confidence had kept pace with the passing years, would you be surprised that the result spelled Success? ‘That, gentlemen, is the Acme White Lead and Color Works ina nutshell. How does it strike you? Is this one of the secrets you are looking for? Pretty good policy all around is it not? We are not claiming that the concen- trated wisdom of ages is under our hat —only the level-headed, ordinary com- mon sense, adapted for use every week- day in the year. If we ever had a wee’ ® bs Beer oeeseray Hn scrane mr mene icon Nee: ere tnaens Rare i i Ca a aT, PARTMENT DRILL E FIRE D ELECTRIC GENERATOR GAA rae alse ans Onaga ee RN ee Papeorsanrip rss a2: % - ps2 & Ee VES ENT EPARTM ADVERTISING D EIS ESSES Ey 1S) S (= z 2 A 4 3 z ~ Sy 2) ics io) fe) <4 IN fabs lease en sma’ doubt as to our ability, and we are not concious of such, we surely never had a doubt of our intentions or determi- nation to ‘‘win out’’ and to ‘‘get there.’’ Perhaps this also should be counted in _ the grand total. When we speak of opening mail from all parts of this terrestial sphere, we are speaking ‘“‘by the book,’’ and if we thrill because ‘‘Acme Quality”? girdles the earth, it is certainly up to us to do the thrilling. There are firms, like certain individ- uals, who deem it necessary to apologize for their existence. The Acme White Lead and Color Works has no such apology to make. We honesily believe that the world is the better for our hav- ing existed. We have played our little part the best we knew. While there has been much of pain, there has also been much of pleasure in the playing, and not the least of our pleasure is in the reflec- tion and profound consciousness of ob- ligation and indebtedness to our numer- ous friends, among whom, gentlemen, Wwe are proud to include yourselves. And so we again thank you for your presence, issue you a cordial invitation to come again, and yet again. You will not wear out your welcome. wa om) ee. oo iv PRESS OF Hee WE ead Og ACHE, fe wo) y pAINTS 3 7 Soe F i ste