A History of Ingenuity
The year was 1932…the early years of the Great Depression. A smart, young businessman, Gerald B. Payne was determined to use his natural talent as a salesman to build his own American Dream. Disgruntled with management at his current job, Jerry set out with a new bride, Winifred Van Tassell Royce, $5,000 and eight employees. Drawing on his sales experience in the industry, he set his sights on making asphalt products and roofing treatments. He named his company United Gilsonite Laboratories – or UGL for short. He chose this name to make the company seem larger than it was…and Gilsonite was the type of asphalt contained in the first roof coatings the company manufactured. Jerry continued to forge ahead, making roof cement in an outdoor vat he constructed by connecting the rear cargo areas of five Ford automobiles and utilizing fans and an old horsepower electric motor. He sold his products from job site to job site – a direct salesforce strategy the company still uses today. After ten years of hard work, Jerry finally broke even…and the rest, as they say, is history. The UGL product line began to expand into multiple product lines, helping the business grow and capitalize on its budding reputation. It was in the years after World War II that the Home Improvement Industry really started to boom. Soldiers were coming home and needed a place to settle down with their young families. During this time, demand for GILSALUME grew and UGL acquired another building. UGL developed a business strategy to position it as a paint specialty company that would develop and manufacture niche products for all home improvement projects. In 1953, UGL held its first National Sales Meeting and introduced the DRYLOK® line. The DRYLOK® line of products quickly became the leader in the Masonry Waterproofing category and still holds the title as the #1 Masonry Waterproofer in the nation today. Further innovations – like ZAR® Crystallite Coating – one of the first polyurethane coatings on the market – paved the way for products to be user-friendly and helped expand the DIY market, which is still growing today. During the sixties and seventies, UGL added several more products to the mix – the most notable being the acquisition of Beverlee’s Wood Finishing products. Now called ZAR® Wood Stain, it’s still one of the most versatile stains on the market. Today, UGL has grown from one facility to four, including: Scranton, Pennsylvania Jacksonville, Illinois Dayton, Nevada Jackson, Mississippi. And our UGL product lines have also grown to include: UGL® Maintenance and Repair, ZAR® Interior Wood Stains and Clear Finishes, ZAR® Exterior Deck and Siding Stains, and DRYLOK® Masonry Care and Repair Products. At UGL, we’re proud of our longevity and history of success. But it’s the future that truly excites us. We believe that new people, new ideas and progressive management are the key elements to remaining an innovative, productive and industry leader in today’s fast-paced, global economy. With over 15,000 dealers nationally and internationally, we still believe in personal connections. Our direct sales force works one-on-one to provide UGL Dealers with the best products and services available in the market. Our marketing materials, in-store displays, product labeling and the products themselves are continually recognized and awarded for their quality and appeal to the Home Improvement Industry. According to James Tates, UGL Chief Executive Officer, “UGL was founded by Gerald B. Payne, a man with an unwavering entrepreneurial spirit...the essence of which still drives the company today.” Mr. Payne once stated, “The real difference between people is energy. A strong will, a defined purpose and invincible determination can accomplish almost anything.“ Mr. Tates continues, “As we work to create a more successful and profitable future for our great company, we will continue to embrace Mr Payne's philosophy and use it as inspiration as we invest in our people, our technology and our brands to provide consumers with high quality products to protect and beautify their homes or businesses.”
