L. A. Dalrymple Percival. Mcgiffin & Company
L. A. DALRYMPLE PERCIVAL
IN these days of the revival of shipbuilding, when every yard is busy and every shipyard is occupied and every dock is full, the marine painting interest is also, inevitably, at its busiest and best. The manufacture of marine paints and compositions for bottoms of ships in this country was formerly, in large measure, in Teutonic ownership, under names which that ownership has wisely changed to designations more grateful to patriotic ears.
Fortunately, the leading enterprise in the ship- painting industry is the Amalgamated Paint Company, an enterprise which is not only wholly American in ownership and control, but has never had a German stockholder or German affiliation of any kind. The controlling member and holder of a strong majority of the stock is Mr. L. A. Dalrymple Percival, president of the company, and American citizen of English birth, who founded the business in 1905.
Lewis Alfred Dalrymple Percival, who is not yet forty years of age, is of English paternal lineage, and on the maternal side is a grandson of Sir John Dalrymple, of Lochinch Castle, Wigtonshire, Scot-land.
After graduation from the University of London, Mr. Percival came to this country, and since starting the Amalgamated Paint Company, in 1905, he has been exclusively engaged in the man-ufacturing and handling of compositions for bot-toms of ships, and other marine paints.
Many factors enter into the success of the great enterprise of Mr. Percival. One of the most im-portant is the scientific research brought to bear in perfecting the company's products, which include the well-known 'Amalgamated" compositions for bottoms of ships, marine paints for all purposes, and also bituminous solution and enamel. The line includes special paints for every part of the ship, in and out, with adaptations worked out by experience and producing the most effective results. The technical activities of the company have included a most careful study of the fouling properties of waters in every part of the globe. There is great difference in these, requiring specialized treat-ment—for instance, the composition for bottoms of ships might serve admirably for trade between American Atlantic ports and those of the United Kingdom, but still be useless as protection for a vessel trading with the West Coast of Africa. So, in executing painting contracts or supplying paints for special ships, the company is able to give to each the expert protective treatment the circumstances demand. The company is now supplying paints to more than ten million tons of shipping annually, and includes among its regular customers many of the principal steamship owners throughout the world. Among others the company's products are approved and used by the United States Government, the International Mercantile Marine Line (American Line, Red Star Line, White Star Line), Cunard Steamship Line, Union Castle Line, Elder-Dempster Line, Court Line, United Fruit Company Line, French Line, Norwegian Line, Royal Mail Line, King Line, Royal Dutch West India Mail Line, and many others. They are painting over an average of thirty ships per week in New York alone, without including nearby ports, in which much work is being done.
A very important feature of the company is its splendid financial rating, for Mr. Percival, whose progressive policy is harnessed to a Scottish strain of prudence, has always maintained a program of ending each year without outstanding liabilities, and hence his "gilt-edged" rating.
The plant, which was small at the start, has grown by numerous additions until it now covers 2 very large area in Jersey City, New Jersey. The equipment is most modern and improved, and :he processes most advanced.
The company maintains stocks and agencies in ever}' principal seaport of the United States, Can-ada. And abroad, including Norway, Denmark, France, Italy, Cuba, Porto Rico, Central and S juth America, and Australia, and also does a large business on the Pacific Coast through its branch office in San Francisco.
In 1914 Mr. Percival founded in London the British Amalgamated Company, Limited, with a factory at Plaistow, in the East End of London. That company manufactures all the Amalgamated brands, the products being identical in variety and quality with those made by the American Com- rany. The British Company supplies the de- rr.ands of the British Isles, maintaining stocks and :;er-C:es in all principal ports of Great Britain ar.d Ireland. In addition, there has been recently rganized the Amalgamated Bituminous Corporate :r. of New York for manufacturing and applying appropriate bituminous compositions to the interior of steel hulls.
L. A. DALRYMPLE PERCIVAL
The success of the Amalgamated Paint Company. Which has its principal offices at Pier 11, North River, New York, has been greatly aided splendid co-operation of the officers associated with Mr. Percival in its management, including Captain J. Elligers, vice-president and manager of the Norwegian Department; Mr. ' A. Percival, treasurer; Mr. Joseph F. power, secretary and Mr. Fred A. Percival, genital supervisor of purchases and of manufacturing.
McGIFFIN cs? COMPANY
T
HE shipping activities from Southern ports form an increasing feature of this country's maritime commerce, and of the leaders in it some have earned success through long service.
Of these one of the best known is the firm of McGiffin & Company, established in Fernandina. Florida, in 1891, by John G. McGiffin and E. Y , Bailey. They opened at Jacksonville, Fla., in 1904, and now operate at both ports, with their main office at Jacksonville. In 1913 the business was incorporated, with John G. McGiffin, president, and E. W. Bailey, vice-president, secretary and treasurer.
The company are steamship agents, stevedores and forwarders, and in all the departments of their business have a reputation which has earned them a representative place in the shipping activities of the Florida coast. As steamship agents and for-warders they give their principals and customers most efficient service, having all facilities and equipment for the business.
Messrs. McGiffin and Bailey are both practical and experienced shipping men, whose united en-deavors have made their firm prominent and prosperous.
John Girvin McGiffin, the president, was born in Fernandina, Fla., in 1868, the son of James and Annie W, (Girvin) McGiffin. He was educated in the common school at Fernandina and after having completed his studies began his business life as a tally clerk with the Clyde Line. After his service there he entered the service of the Seaboard Air Line Railway, of which he became chief clerk and agent. With these two companies he became intimately acquainted with traffic and forwarding problems, fitting him to establish himself "in his present line of business in 1891.
Besides his progress in business, Mr. McGiffin has found time to devote to public welfare in city and state, earning the goodwill of the community to such an extent that he was elected mayor of Fernandina, Fla., and served in that capacity for twelve years. He, was also elected to the State Legislature and served there for four years. He served during the war, without compensation, on the Fuel Administration, and as a special assistant to the United Secretary of Agriculture.
