On the list of best-known paint brands in the marketplace for exceeding your expectations is Benjamin Moore. Creating their proprietary Gennex® resins and hues allows them to deliver uniform application and supreme quality control. Accentuate the outside and inside of your office or house with the stellar colour and product selection available.



The History of Benjamin Moore

The “Calsom Finish,” a unique wall coating, was designed in 1883 by Benjamin Moore. He fabricated this product with his elder brother, Robert Moore in a tiny building in Brooklyn, New York. The siblings saw profits the first year on their operations and their business grew fast. Their Corporation was created in New York in 1889 and their current New Jersey Corporation was established soon afterward.

In the early stages, Benjamin Moore developed a personal philosophy that soon became the initial credo of the organization. He wanted the business to follow the following statement, “The application of Intelligence to Industry based upon Integrity.” “Intelligence, Integrity and Industry,” took over as the hallmarks of Benjamin Moore’s main values.

The business' Internal Vision describes these values currently as “Leadership, Innovation and Performance.” This is the philosophy that serves as the founding principle of the company policy.

Did you know that the current logo of the “Triangle M,” originated in 1925 and designed by L.P. Moore to showcase the “Integrity, Intelligence and Industry,” concept? This is the logo given today to staff to wear proudly when they receive their service pins. This signifies how the company works with its employees, customers and suppliers.

Benjamin Moore refined his Calsom Finish product in 1892 and created MURESCO, a new item. This all-in-one ceiling and wall finish was revolutionary for its time. It became a standard household word and even earned a listing within Webster’s Standard Dictionary.

Benjamin Moore continued to develop innovative products over the years. A flat-finish, lead-free, decorative item called SANI-FLAT was sought after since it could sustain frequent washing. The UTILAC fast-drying enamel came out next as an excellent replacement to widely popular lacquers that were dangerous.

Benjamin Moore and Co. were able to successfully expand in 1897, thanks to the businesses’ exponential growth. Their expansion program was created to bring stellar service to clients. The next ten years were busy. A Cleveland factory was born, Chicago became home to a factory and subsidiary and the New Jersey plant was constructed.

Benjamin Moore expanded to Canada in 1906. At the first shareholders’ meeting, Benjamin Moore was elected as company president on September 11, 1906. Fred Moore, Benjamin’s half-brother, was elected as Treasurer in 1911. Fred became the Canadian branch’s managing director and then the first residing Canadian president in 1937. This occupancy established the foundation for what is currently Benjamin Moore & Co., Limited.

The City of Toronto saw the first company established. On January 14, 1907, the plant located on Lloyd Avenue was bought. This became a thriving operation that encouraged the company to open a Montreal warehouse in 1923. The company established various warehouses across Canada in the 1920s, including Saskatoon, Halifax, Winnipeg, Regina and Vancouver. Originally, the Toronto to Vancouver shipments travelled over 8500 miles on an all-water route through the Panama Canal!

In 1953, a complete factory was constructed in Montreal. A third plant was constructed in Burnaby, British Columbia in 1962. This plant relocated in 1991 to Aldergrove. The North American Company revamped manufacturing in 2000.

The Aldergrove plant stopped being a manufacturing facility and became the main office and distribution centre for the West. The Toronto plant was also done after running for 94 years. However, the Montreal facility grew and became an all-latex manufacturer.. Formerly called the “Technical Coatings Co. Ltd, the plant in Burlington, Ontario became the central solvent-based manufacturer..



Berkshire Hathaway Inc. bought Benjamin Moore & Co. in December 2000. This business owns subsidiaries and acts as a holding company with a variety of interests in different businesses. The Chairman of Berkshire’s Board of Directors is Warren Buffet.

There are over 275 committed Benjamin Moore & Co. Canadian employees offering their best products and services to consumers, contractors and independent retailers.

During these changing economic days, the business remains focussed on its strategy and vision of strengthening and supporting the independent retail channel while protecting, leveraging and enhancing the Benjamin Moore Brand. The company has created many programs such as The Painting & Decorating Services Initiative, The Strategic Training Triad for the Retailer and the Signature Store Program.

The company has used the success of these programs to stay progressive and competitive in the paint market. Branding as “The Colour Experts,” this was created by the company’s first spokesperson, Betty Moore in the 1950s. Moor-O-Matic custom colours were born in the 1960s and by 1970, the Moore’s Colour Matching System.

Canada has recognized Benjamin Moore as its most trusted paint brand. This has been determined via Ipsos-Reid polls in Canada, being one of the most trusted North American public opinion and independent research firms, along with independent research and Reader’s Digest.

Research and Development

Continuous scientific testing and ongoing product testing allows Benjamin Moore & Co., Limited to deliver the consistent paint products customers have grown to admire.

There are over 100 technicians, chemical engineers, support staff and chemists maintaining strict product standards. This crew also creates new items. There are ten team labs operated at an 80,000 square foot Technical & Administrative Centre by technical staff.

Each lab offers state-of-the-art technology. Each instrument focuses on certain expertise. All labs work together to create the Benjamin Moore formulations. The labs work beside the marketing department and manufacturing facilities to handle the various demands from different markets such as professional, commercial, industrial and DIY.

The analytic laboratory focuses on instruments using the highest levels of technology to determine paint formulas for Benjamin Moore product formulations.

The Competitive Evaluations Laboratory has two testing stations dedicated to testing Benjamin Moore’s exterior items and competitive brands. Tests include having over 20,000 painted or stained test items to note a variety of weather extremes and how the products handle for up to 15 years. These panels are subjected to different analyzing techniques to create new formulas and make better products or update existing formulas. Benjamin Moore also tests competitive products in the lab too to see if they match their claims.

Benjamin Moore’s product quality is tested by the Central Process Lab. These testing procedures occur over and above the daily product testing on the production line.

The Solvent Coatings and the Latex Coatings Laboratory is the place where new latex and solvent-based items are created and developed to enhance their performance. They need to meet or exceed the fierce regulations, client expectations and environmental standards that the company expects.

The Industrial Maintenance Finishes Lab is home to developing high-performance, anti-corrosion products for military tanks or industrial locations including factories.

The main location for most of Benjamin Moore’s research is done at the Polymer Laboratory. This is the location where the binders for products are improved or made. Most paint businesses create their polymers from exterior places. The company is dedicated to maintaining quality assurance by developing in-house production. The binder formulations can be tailored to achieve specific requirements.



The Colour Assurance Laboratory creates the factory standards that maintain the consistency of ready-mixed Benjamin Moore colours. Their exceptional standards are distributed in each one of Benjamin Moore’s paint plants. This lab is responsible for monitoring the chip accuracy on the Benjamin Moore colour cards as well. A handy tool for contractors and homeowners alike.

The Colour Technology Laboratory invented the first colour-matching computerized system and this has become the industry standard across the board. This machine is vital for enhancing Benjamin Moore’s colour-matching abilities. The lab is reviewed and evaluated by scientists for developing colour matching technologies.

The Colour Development Laboratory This location holds the colour prescriptions for the paint. It examines formulas to ensure consistency for existing shades and creates new formulas for different colours.

The Exterior Testing Facility also called the Testing Farm is the place that 25,000 coating samples are evaluated and studied after extreme element exposure. This colour data is used by the daily research and development teams. The highly accessible farm is close to where Benjamin Moore paint is formulated and tested in labs.

The staff chemists are able to use this lab for all of their research and development work. The chemists’ staff is encouraged to visit the lab frequently throughout the day to view their coatings and see how they are performing. Sales and marketing staff additionally rely on the farm to gain valuable information on many products.

The Technical & Administrative Centre is home to the company’s Corporate Engineering, Product Information Centre, Management Information Services, Regulatory Affairs Departments and Information Resource Centre.