True Value

True Value Company, L.L.C.
Trade name	True Value
Company type	Private
Industry	Hardware stores
Founded	Chicago, Illinois, U.S. (1948; 76 years ago, as Cotter & Company)
Founder	John Cotter
Headquarters	Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Number of locations	4,500+ (60 countries)
Key people	Chris Kempa (CEO)
Products	Home improvement products; Home appliances; tools; household hardware; lumber; building materials; paint; plumbing; equipment rental;
Revenue	US$1.488 billion (2017)
Operating income	US$ 40.16 million (2017)
Net income	US$ 24.75 million (2017)
Total assets	US$ 912.88 million (2017)
Total equity	US$ 160.4 million (2017)
Owner	ACON Investments
Number of employees	2,500 (2019)
Website	truevalue.com

True Value is an American wholesaler and Hardware store brand founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1948 by John Cotter.^[5] The corporate headquarters are located in Chicago.^[6]

Historically True Value was a cooperative owned by retailers,^[7] but in 2018 it was purchased by ACON Investments.^[8]

Timeline

1948: True Value is founded by John Cotter in Chicago, Illinois.
1966: True Value introduces Tru Test paints and stains, Master Mechanic, Master Plumber, and Master Electrician products.
1970: True Value airs its first TV commercial.
1975: The True Value family adopts the tagline "More than just a name...it's our way of doing business".
1981: True Value introduces new tagline "We've Got What it Takes".
1990: True Value introduces new tagline "You Can Do It with True Value".
1993: True Value introduces new tagline "Help is Just Around the Corner".
1998: True Value introduces new tagline "Anything to Help".
2006: True Value introduces new tagline "Start Right, Start Here".
2023: True Value introduces new logo and tagline "Here for You".

General Paint & Manufacturing

True Value owns General Paint & Manufacturing (GPM), a paint manufacturing plant, and supplies paint to other companies. The facility manufactures latex paints, oil based paints, stains and aerosols exceeding 7,300,000 gallons annually. GPM also manufactures a complete line of jansan/cleaning chemicals.^[9]

House brands

True Value's house brands, including Green Thumb, Master Electrician, Master Plumber, Lawn Chief and Master Mechanic, are manufactured by many different suppliers to company specifications.

Notes

^ "True Value Company > Home". Truevaluecompany.com. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
^ "True Value Company Announces CEO Transition" (Press release).
^ "2017 Annual Financial Report" (PDF). Truevaluecompany.com. March 2, 2018.
^ "True Value". Forbes.
^ Valinsky, Jordan (October 14, 2024). "True Value declares bankruptcy and sells itself to a hardware rival". CNN. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
^ Shipe, Caitlynn (October 14, 2024). "Do it Best makes bid to obtain Chicago-based True Value". FOX 55 Fort Wayne. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
^ Unglesbee, Ben. "True Value announces buyout deal with private equity firm". Retail Dive. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
^ Dorbian, Iris (March 16, 2018). "ACON Investments to invest in hardware retailer True Value". Pehub.com. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
^ "GPM – Expertly Crafted. Within Reach". Privatelabelpaint.net. Retrieved August 11, 2019.

[auto-1] "True Value Company > Home". Truevaluecompany.com. Retrieved April 9, 2020.

[2] "True Value Company Announces CEO Transition" (Press release).

[xbrlus_1-3] "2017 Annual Financial Report" (PDF). Truevaluecompany.com. March 2, 2018.

[4] "True Value". Forbes.

[Valinsky-5] Valinsky, Jordan (October 14, 2024). "True Value declares bankruptcy and sells itself to a hardware rival". CNN. Retrieved October 17, 2024.

[Shipe-6] Shipe, Caitlynn (October 14, 2024). "Do it Best makes bid to obtain Chicago-based True Value". FOX 55 Fort Wayne. Retrieved October 17, 2024.

[Unglesbee-7] Unglesbee, Ben. "True Value announces buyout deal with private equity firm". Retail Dive. Retrieved October 22, 2019.

[:0-8] Dorbian, Iris (March 16, 2018). "ACON Investments to invest in hardware retailer True Value". Pehub.com. Retrieved August 11, 2019.

[9] "GPM – Expertly Crafted. Within Reach". Privatelabelpaint.net. Retrieved August 11, 2019.

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