Founded in January 1960, and incorporated in the state of Michigan as the Murray A. Percival Co., the independent manufacturers’ representative company prides itself on doing the right thing, and has from its first day. The company believes that while anyone can offer products, few can provide measurable results that positively affect their customers’ bottom line. President and Visionary Murray A. Percival Jr. said, “We strive to carry on that philosophy, taking care of our family, our employees and their families and our ever-growing family of satisfied customers. The same philosophy that built our company in 1960 is still present today.”
Fifty-nine years ago, Murray Percival Sr. was approached by the Electrovert Corporation, a company it still represents today, to sell their printed circuit board wave soldering equipment. At that time, the use of PCBs was still relatively rare, and the foresight to enter this business was not without risk: the industry had yet to emerge. Today, circuit boards are crucial components of our everyday life, used in automobiles, medical equipment, military equipment, avionics, communications, computers, appliances and entertainment products. Electronics are ubiquitous, increasingly mobile and growing every day. The decision to represent Electrovert earned Murray the title of “pioneer,” servicing an emerging industry, one that has become a key component in the worldwide market of manufactured goods. Today, Murray Percival Co. is a leading supplier to the Midwest’s electronics industry and offers thousands of products – many of which can be purchased simply and directly from their Website.
The Murray Percival Co. was built on Murray Sr.’s strong foundation of honesty, integrity, loyalty and doing what’s right. His goal in business was not only to provide for his family, but also to be a provider to his employees and their families. He often said that their families were his families, and it was important to him that they were given a chance to grow along with the company. Growth was not just measured financially but morally and spiritually as well.
Today, the company is managed by Murray Sr.’s three children: Murray Jr., Mark Sr. and Pam. Now representing a third generation are Mark Jr., Matt and Murray III. The philosophy is significant: family-owned businesses represent 64 percent of the US GDP and 78 percent of new job creation. Today, as a third-generation family-owned business, the company has evolved from hardware provider to process enabler, delivering to its customers and using the most modern tools and processes.
Murray Jr. said, “When I joined the agency there was just me, my father and an administrative person. We only had two lines. I did all the inside stuff, taking orders over the phone, shipping and receiving, loading and unloading trucks.” Compare that beginning to a personnel profile of today’s agency and the differences are striking. “I’m obviously from the second generation of the Percival family. My brother Mark is my partner and our sister Pam is the agency controller. On top of that, we now have the third generation with the company,” he said. “That group, which is known as ‘3G,’ is comprised of Murray Sr.’s grandsons, Murray III, Mark Jr and Matt. Altogether we’re 15 strong and currently adding several new employees.” When describing the dynamics of different generations working together toward a common goal, Percival believes that they have done a good job of understanding who and what the company is. He added that when a question or problem comes up, they will look at it, have a conversation with no one person taking a strong stance, and come up with a plan. “Sure, there are generational differences,” he said. “Perhaps the younger generation wants to get things done faster. But, over the years we’ve been able to avoid arguments and pull together as a family.” The direction that the family pulls together is in supplying capital equipment, engineered materials, and proven solutions to clients.
Murray Percival Co. accomplishes this by using The Power of One: ONE resource, ONE shipment and ONE low price. Central to the company’s philosophy, The Power of One is designed to help customers deliver products that make the world safer, healthier and more enjoyable. Murray Jr. added that they make a difference by living their core values everyday as well, which come down to three simple yet powerful concepts:
- Rooted in Loyalty
- Driven to believe
- Connected through hard work
The company strives to provide great value. It accomplishes this in many ways, including offering an extensive supplier base to help solve customer problems. Additionally, the company provides many years of experience, it continually trains its people so they can help customers better and faster, they invest in key technologies to make work more efficient and effective, and supply both materials and equipment to support business growth and needs. Murray Percival Co. interacts as a team all day so that their knowledge bank is constantly up-to-date. This allows them to provide the best solutions to customers quickly. Finally, each member of the team finds much satisfaction in helping people, and will go out of his/her way to do so. Respect, flexibility and understanding of this level is difficult to find these days, and that is just another reason that Murray Percival Co. stands out from its competition.
When customers choose Murray Percival Co., they know they will receive the best the company has to offer, and that they will benefit from a convenient and efficient resource for thousands of MRO products and equipment at the best prices. They also know that they will receive a proven technical sales force to answer their questions and offer solutions. Most importantly, they know that they will get a partner with close to 60 years of experience to save them time, reduce their costs and improve their processes.
To find out more about Murray Percival Co., contact President/CEO Murray A. Percival Jr. at 2014 Brown Rd., Auburn Hills, MI 48326; 248-276-9970; E-mail: mapercival@murraypercival.com; Web site: www.murraypercival.com.