Standard Oil Company

Utilizing a strategy of creating a more efficient operation by selling most of the refinery byproducts, eliminating  competitors by either buying them out or selling kerosene more cheaply than they did, and negotiating rebates on freight,  Standard Oil was able to capture 90% of the oil business.  The ruthless of their operation did not go unnoticed in the press.  

In order to navigate around multiple laws in various states, the Standard Oil Trust was formed which combined all the various companies and the 37 directors into one organization under 9 trustees.  Not only was it extremely profitable but it inspired many other companies to adopt the Trust arrangement. 

With the passage of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, which forbade every contract, scheme, deal, or conspiracy to restrain trade, the government began multiple legal actions ending at the Supreme Court with Standard Oil of NJ vs the United States.  The company was ordered to be broken up into 43 companies.