The History of Conklin
Helping People Solve Problems
From the very beginning, the Conklin vision has always been about solving problems. Almost 90 years ago, a financial crisis swept the nation. Millions of people lost their jobs, their homes, and their life savings. The financial chaos lasted for nearly a decade, and became known as the Great Depression.
A young father in northern Iowa was caught up in this financial apocalypse. His job as a city chemist, and construction engineer evaporated, as cost cutting measures came into play. His name was Harry Conklin.
Harry had a family to support, and no job. But he had engineering knowledge and experience with chemistry, and he believed that he could create superior lubricants for heavy machinery. He reasoned that construction companies, cities, and counties would gladly pay a little extra for lubricants, if it would mean lower maintenance costs in the long run.
Harry was right. He produced a higher quality of lubricant, and the orders started trickling in. As engine technologies changed, he continued to adapt his products. By solving the problems of the businesses around him, Harry had solved his own problem. He had a business that was able to support his growing family.
Disaster Strikes Again
On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, and the United States of America was plunged into a global war. With the war, came rationing and shortages. The military’s demand for petroleum products and steel meant that Harry had difficulty producing his products, or obtaining barrels to ship them in. Harry suspended business operations for the duration of the war, and got a job in hydraulic lifts manufacturing.
After the war, armed with his new experience, Harry resumed operations and created a range of new products. His two sons joined in the business. Jack helped on the production side, and Bob took care of the marketing. In 1954, the company incorporated.
It wasn’t until over a decade later, in 1969, that the Conklin Company assumed its current form, with a new network marketing strategy. The Conklin brothers believed that others should also have the opportunity to have their own businesses, and work for themselves. They offered the opportunity to make this happen using Conklin products.
An Empty Room
There were difficulties in the beginning. The brothers once booked a meeting hall at a hotel in Minneapolis, only to have a single person in attendance. But they were not discouraged, because they believed in their products, and they believed in their vision, that there were many others who would be excited to have the opportunity to have a business of their own, using and selling the same high-quality products that the Conklin family had already been producing for decades.
They were right! Representatives began to join the company, slowly at first, and then in droves. Before long, the Conklin Company had over $1 million dollars in sales, which is equal to almost $7 million in today's money. Conklin's representatives produced these amazing sales figures without any of the modern tools of Internet marketing, such as Facebook ads, email promotions, or search engine optimization. This speaks volumes about both the high quality of Conklin's products and the exceptional corporate culture that the executives created.
The Conklin Company soon outgrew its manufacturing facilities, which were still located in Harry’s home. They purchased a factory and continued to grow.
More Breakthroughs
In 1976, Conklin’s research and development team created a new groundbreaking innovation in roofing, and another branch of the company was born. Other innovations quickly followed, including developments in roof coating, metal roofing, and aluminum coating.
Conklin roofing products are the best on the market today, offering the superior quality for contractors and customers alike.
The Conklin Company is still in the business of solving problems today. They now have five categories of high quality products: agriculture, roofing systems, animal products, health & home, vehicle projects. They have thousands of satisfied customers and distributors all over the United States. If you are looking for the opportunity to solve problems for others while running your own business, the Conklin Company is still the excellent opportunity that it was been for the past four decades.