In 1888, medical doctor Allen Devilbiss of Toledo, OH, established the DeVilbiss Manufacturing Co. to manufacture atomizers that he had developed to threat throat ailments. Pushed by son Thomas Devilbiss, the business expanded to include perfume atomizers, and, in 1907, paint sprayers.

By 1917 the company was sometimes doing business as the Devilbiss Co. By 1932 they were also making air compressors.

In 1970 Devilbiss became a part of the Champion Spark Plug Co., then in 1988 was acquired by Eagle Industries, Inc., who relocated the business from Toledo, OH, to Jackson, TN. In 1990 the business was acquired by Illinois Tool Works.

By 1999 the air compressor business had become the Devilbiss Air Power Co., and in that year was acquired by Pentair. In 2004 Pentair sold that business to Black & Decker. In 2010 The Stanley Works and Black and Decker merged, and in 2011 the new Stanley Black & Decker sold DeVilbiss Air Power to MAT Holdings.

Information Sources

• The archive.org collection of Devilbiss publications may be of interest for those looking for catalogs or manuals for their perfume atomizers, paint sprayers, air compressors, and related equipment.
• March 1917 The Metal Industry, page 136, mentions The Devilbiss Company, Toledo, Ohio, as an exhibitor of air sprayers at a banquet of the New York Electroplaters' Society.
• December 1917 The Metal Industry, page 54, ad from The Devilbiss Mfg. Co., 1305 Palmwood Ave., Toledo, Ohio, for their Aeron System of paint spraying.
• April 1924 American Builder, page 180: ad from The Devilbiss Mfg. Co. for the Devilbiss spray-painting system. Address: 238 Phillips Ave., Toledo, OH.
• July 1930 UL List of Inspected Mechanical Appliances, page 869, lists paint-spray booths made by Devilbiss Co., Toledo, OH.
• April 1932 National Petroleum News, vol. 24 page 104: ad from the Devilbiss Co. for their air compressors. Address: 300 Phillips Ave., Toledo, OH.