Supplier Spotlight: Murco Wall Products

The Place: Murco Wall Products | 20+ Locations | HQ in Fort Worth, TX

Texas drywall supply dealer/manufacturer Murco Wall Products began in a small building in Irving, Tex., founded by Bud Murphy — a drywaller and painter with big dreams of starting the kind of business he could pass down through the generations. And he pulled his entire family into that business, getting his wife and kids involved in everything from loading the pallets to processing invoices to sweeping the floor of the shop.

Today, Bud Murphy’s dream is more alive than ever: his daughter, Joan Benton, sits at the head of the company, overseeing more than 20 locations spread out across Texas, Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado and Tennessee.

“I was there from the beginning — I'm the daughter to the owners that began it, and have appreciated the legacy they've left,” Joan Benton tells us. “My parents started it in 1971. It took a lot of hard work. We're still here, and very thankful that we're still here, being able to be a part of this industry. It's been good to us.”

That “family business” approach doesn’t just extend to Bud’s blood relatives — it’s a philosophy that runs throughout the business.

“I think a really enjoyable part about working for a family business like Murco is that everybody cares for each other,” says Eli Benezette, Store Manager at Murco’s location in Farmers Branch, Tex. “It's not just a business, it's a family. It's not just the people with the Benton name that are in the family — it's everybody that works for Murco as a whole.”

The Promise: ‘We appreciate you as who you are — you're not just a number’

As a supplier of drywall finishing products and paints, Murco promises a high level of customer service, product expertise and reliability. 

“When a customer walks in through our doors,” says Michael Watkins, Store Manager at the company’s flagship Paint Store in Fort Worth, “they know they're going to get the help they need, a product that's going to last, and material they can rely on.”

As the buying process has become increasingly impersonal — between the dominance of big-box stores and faceless online retailers — this kind of steadfast customer care is how independent, family-owned businesses like Murco can stand out. By treating their customers like members of that extended family, by sticking by them long after they’ve made a sale, they’re still able to survive and thrive in today’s marketplace.

“Especially if you go to a big corporation, there's a disconnect — almost like if you were going to go to Walmart instead of a farmer's market — between the product and the customer,” Eli tells us. “Whereas if you come to a Murco, you can get a sense of the fact that they know what they're talking about because it comes just from down the street in Fort Worth. Building that relationship is a big part of keeping a loyal customer, but also keeping them happy with the product as well.”

Or, as Joan says: “We appreciate you as who you are — you're not just a number. You're a customer, and we want to take care of you.”

The Products: ‘Everything from your first coat to the final color’

One thing that sets Murco apart from many drywall supply dealers is that they also manufacture their own products, including joint compounds and paints. 

Murco muds and textures are especially famous here in Texas, where they’re known for their easy application and sanding. (“I've used all brands of mud and Murco has been the best,” says Héctor García, a drywall finisher we spoke to in Springtown, Tex. “It's the only one I like to work with.”) Their in-house product offerings include all kinds of ready-mix muds, from Feather Weight to all-purpose, as well as textures and toppings.

“We have more varieties of compounds than, I don't know, probably more than anybody else,” Murco Director of Sales Bill Shafer tells us. “If you don't like one light product, I've got another light product. I got one that dries whiter. Or they don't shrink, less callbacks … it's all first-class products.”

In addition to their muds, Murco makes a variety of paints and primers, which Michael calls “our best hidden secret.” From their Hi-Coat Interior Drywall Primer to their Quick Hide paints, this wide selection allows Murco to become a full-service provider for everything contractors need to finish interior walls and ceilings.  

“We’ve got everything covered from your first coat to the final color,” Michael says. “Everything that touches the board except the board itself — we're a one-stop shop for our customers.”

The Partnership: Trim-Tex goes with Murco like ‘milk goes with cereal’

Murco shares a lot of DNA with Trim-Tex. Both companies were founded within just a couple of years of each other. Both remain family-owned to this day. Both pride themselves on a high level of customer service that gets rarer to find with each passing year. So, it makes sense that the companies would maintain a long-running personal and professional relationship as a manufacturer and supplier. 

“Murco and Trim-Tex, I don't know how long it's been, but the owner of Trim-Tex and my father knew each other,” Joan tells us. “We started buying their product, and we have continued that relationship through the generations. We have a very close relationship with them. They're a partner — we consider them to be one of the better partners that we have. We're honestly family. We appreciate everybody that works at Trim-Tex and how they treat us.”

Additionally, since they create the kinds of mud you use to coat your corner beads and drywall accessories, Murco isn’t just a supplier of Trim-Tex products: they’re two brands that can work hand in hand. The highest-quality drywall finishing beads deserve the highest-quality muds, textures and paints, making these two American-made product lines — and these two family-owned businesses — a perfect pair.

Or, as Michael Watkins puts it, when asked why Trim-Tex works so well alongside Murco: “Why does milk go with cereal?”

Thank you to Murco Wall Products for inviting us to tour their Fort Worth Paint Store and warehouse, and for sharing their story with us. You can browse through their product offerings and store locations on their website here. We’d also like to thank the team at Murco for connecting us with a couple of their customers to facilitate some exciting residential case studies — you can find our story about working with Texan Drywall on homes in Aledo, Tex., here and another about Eagle Drywall’s project in Springtown, Tex., here.

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