Next Generation of Strube Brothers Seek to Eclipse Color Wheel Success
Donald K. Strube, Jr. was a year old when his father and Uncle Charles mixed their first batch of paint in the back room of a West Orlando storefront in 1960. His first job, along with younger brother, Rick, was gluing color chips onto retail display cards. At one time there were nine Strubes working for the company. Don and Rick worked in every phase of the business, from gluing labels on cans to visually matching paint colors.
The Strube family business, Color Wheel Paint Manufacturing Company, grew to become the largest private paint manufacturer in Florida, with hundreds of employees and more than $100 million in sales by the time the family sold it in 2006.
Blessed with the opportunity and resources to pursue their wildest dreams, Don, Jr. and Rick took time with their families and played golf. They investigated several different business opportunities – including a funeral home – before finally realizing the paint business was their passion. They pooled their resources, and like their father and uncle before them, mixed up a batch of paint in a back room at a retail center they’d purchased with the proceeds of the sale of their Color Wheel stock.
Having sold all their old formulas, they had to start from scratch, developing new ways to combine pigment and binder – “dirt and glue” as Don calls them – with water and other ingredients – such as fungicide – to make paint especially suited for Florida’s heat, humidity and wind-driven rain.
In keeping with the family tradition, they kept their costs low; avoiding debt and buying much of their plant and equipment at bargain rates.
In April 2012 Don and Rick launched SunColor Paints, a new, improved Strube-family paint manufacturing and sales business. The company sells its Orlando-made paint directly to contractors from its factory in West Orlando and to the public through company-owned stores around Central Florida, touting not only the paint’s Florida-tough durability, but also their knowledgeable staff and old-school service – another Strube family tradition. They’ve opened six stores and plan to open more in the coming years.
For information about store location and types of paint available go to the company web site: www.suncolorpaints.com.
I had the good fortune of working for these two gentlemen for 20 years before their family sold the old company. Their care and concern for their customers and employees is unparalleled, and their commitment to quality of product and service is outstanding. I wish them all the success in the world.
Good luck Don & Rick. Hunnicutt
This is really great. I see that SWP and PPG are trying to be the only game in town,but your old (new) company will still be the best. I spent 12 years working with you and loved every minute.
Thank you all for your kind words. Rick and I are a bit overwhelmed by all the positive support we’ve received from our old customers, old friends, and new fans. It’s great to be back in the paint business!!!
I too had the opportunity to work for the Color Wheel Family (Strube) as a Sales Representative, I was taught so many valuable things with my time there and I have to say I still use the knowledge I obtained there in my painting business today.
I have no doubt, with Don and Rick at the helm, Suncolor Paints will beat the competition in all facets of the paint business. I am looking forward to teaming up with Suncolor on my future projects.
Bob Miller
February 19,2013 at 5;16 am
I would really like to work for you people again
After 20 years of working for Benjamin Moore the plant was closed, I was offered a job to relocate with them but I decided to move to Orlando Florida and accept a job to work for Color Wheel in 2004. The 2 years that i worked for Colorwheel under the ownership of the Strube family, gave my family and i the same since of pride that i had working for Benjamin Moore . I can still hear my kids saying when a Colorwheel or Benjamin Moore truck went by that where my daddy works.That pride is back again because my tender with Colorwheel will be over, I gave them 2 week notice that i’m taking my talent to Suncolor .
I’m planning to paint my Home in next couple weeks and my friend told me @ this Sun Color Paint, I’ll try it. The people of All American Blvd gave me the price so I’ll take you word that’s is a great paint and Honest People. Let’s see.