John L. Armitage & Co

The John L. Armitage Company is a privately held industrial coatings and paint manufacturer. Headquarters and manufacturing facilities are located in Gallatin, Tennessee. The Company has been owned by the Armitage family since its inception in 1876. There have been only four presidents in 135 years.The Armitage Company began as a producer of high quality varnish and nitrocellulose lacquer for the automobile and furniture industries. In 1914, black Japan, a popular baking finish for metals, consisting of linseed oil and Gilsonite was added to the product line. This was when all automobiles were black. As the needs of the industrial community changed over the years, so did the products produced by John L. Armitage and Company.