Kelly-Moore Paints

Kelly-Moore Paints

Company type	Private
Industry	Paint manufacturing
Founded	January 1, 1946 (1946-01-01) in San Carlos, California, U.S.
Founder	William Kelly and William Moore
Defunct	January 2024 (2024-01)
Fate	Shutdown of retail locations and discontinuation of general operations; intellectual property acquired by Latex Paint S.A. de C.V.
Headquarters	Irving, Texas , United States
Area served	United States (California, Texas, Oklahoma, Nevada)
Key people	Charles Gassenheimer (CEO from 2022)
Products	Paints (brands include AcryPlex, DuraPoxy, Epic, Envy, Kel-Bond, Kel-Pro)
Parent	Flacks Group (from 2022 to 2024)

Kelly-Moore Paints was a U.S.-based paint manufacturer established in 1946 by William Kelly and William Moore in San Carlos, California. In 2023, the company moved its corporate headquarters to Irving, Texas, while its production facility remained in Hurst, Texas.

At its height, Kelly-Moore ranked among the largest independently owned paint manufacturers in the United States. By the time it was acquired in 2022 by the investment firm Flacks Group, the company operated 157 retail outlets across California, Texas, Oklahoma, and Nevada. Its product portfolio featured brands including AcryPlex, DuraPoxy, Epic, Envy, Kel-Bond, and Kel-Pro.

In January 2024, Kelly-Moore declared the shutdown of all retail locations and the discontinuation of general operations, continuing only limited functions to complete outstanding orders through its distribution center.

1946–1952: Establishment

William Kelly and William Moore, both formerly employed by Glidden, founded Kelly-Moore Paints in 1946.

1952–1984: Moore's sole ownership and growth

In 1952, Moore acquired full ownership by buying out Kelly. Over the subsequent three decades, he was heavily engaged in refining production techniques and developing company-owned retail store designs. By 1974, retail sales accounted for close to a quarter of total revenues, growing to 37% within ten years as more homeowners undertook DIY projects. The firm sustained an average annual growth rate of 13%. When Moore retired in 1984, Kelly-Moore reported revenues of $136 million with profits nearing $11 million.

1984–1998: Leadership transition and expansion

Joseph P. Cristiano assumed the role of CEO in January 1985 after gaining operational insights by accompanying sales teams. The company expanded into Alaska and Washington in 1994 by acquiring Preservative Paint Co., adding two stores in Alaska and fifteen in Washington state. The following year’s purchase of K-M Universal broadened Kelly-Moore’s footprint in the Southwest with a manufacturing plant in Tempe, Arizona, alongside retail outlets in Arizona and California. In 1996, Kelly-Moore further extended its reach by acquiring the paint division of Island Equipment Co. based in Guam.

1998–2022: Employee ownership and strategic partnerships

In 1998, Moore and his wife created an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) for qualifying employees. The subsequent year saw Kelly-Moore enter a partnership with M.A. Bruder & Sons from Pennsylvania to consolidate market presence without geographic overlap—M.A. Bruder serving the East Coast and Kelly-Moore covering the West Coast—facilitating service to national clients. This collaboration resulted in inclusion within the American Institute of Architects' MasterSpec Finishes directory utilized extensively by architectural firms.

By 2000, Diamond Vogel Paints and Dunn-Edwards joined this alliance known as Paints America. That same year, Kelly-Moore acquired Ponderosa Paint Manufacturing. In January 2003, Herb R. Giffins took over as president and CEO from Cristiano.

In 2011, all retail stores in Oregon were closed followed later by those in Washington. Manufacturing operations were relocated from the San Francisco Bay Area to Hurst, Texas in 2017. In April 2022, Kelly-Moore earned the Texas Environmental Excellence Award for its pollution prevention efforts.

2022–2023: Acquisition by Flacks Group

In September 2022, the Miami-based investment firm Flacks Group took ownership of Kelly Moore Paints' retail, distribution, and manufacturing divisions. Charles Gassenheimer, serving as Flacks Group's managing partner, was named CEO. Subsequently, in 2023, the company shifted its headquarters to Irving, Texas.

2024: Closure

Kelly Moore Paints declared in January 2024 that it would shut down all retail locations and discontinue operations, with the exception of fulfilling pending orders through its distribution center. The CEO attributed this decision to overwhelming legal and financial difficulties, including approximately $600 million in asbestos-related settlements tied to claims originating before asbestos was discontinued in 1981.

Later, in May 2024, Latex Paint S.A. de C.V. acquired the intellectual property rights of Kelly Moore, allowing its licensee, Sayer Lack Mexicana, to broaden its portfolio of international paint and coating products.

Further reading

• Bjerklie, Steve, "Leading with Service", Modern Paint and Coatings, October 1, 2000, p. 40.
• Dill, Larry, "Paint Recycling: Kelly-Moore Is Supplying the Federal Government and Looking for Other Markets", Modern Paint and Coatings, January 1, 1995, p. 19.
• Neal, Roger, "Color It Profitable", Forbes, January 28, 1985, p. 76.
• Reitter, Chuck, "There Are No Ivory Towers in San Carlos, California", American Paint & Coatings Journal, February 3, 1986, p. 42.
• Valero, Greg, and Bill Schmitt, "Regional Paint Makers Link to Serve National Accounts", Chemical Week, May 17, 2000, p. 39.