Rust-Oleum is a manufacturer of protective paints and coatings for home and industrial use. It was founded in 1921 by Robert Fergusson, a sea captain, after he noticed that
fish oil
Fish oil is oil derived from the tissues of oily fish. Fish oils contain the omega−3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), precursors of certain eicosanoids that are known to reduce inflammation in the bod ...
spilled on rusty metal decks stopped corrosion from spreading. He soon incorporated
whale oil
Whale oil is oil obtained from the blubber of whales. Oil from the bowhead whale was sometimes known as train-oil, which comes from the Dutch word ''traan'' ("tear drop").
Sperm oil, a special kind of oil used in the cavities of sperm whales, ...
into the formula, although many changes have been made over the years. Rust-Oleum products no longer contain whale oil, instead using resins derived from
alkyd
An alkyd is a polyester resin modified by the addition of fatty acids and other components. Alkyds are derived from polyols and organic acids including dicarboxylic acids or carboxylic acid anhydride and triglyceride oils. The term ''alkyd'' is ...
s,
polyurethane
Polyurethane (; often abbreviated PUR and PU) is a class of polymers composed of organic chemistry, organic units joined by carbamate (urethane) links. In contrast to other common polymers such as polyethylene and polystyrene, polyurethane term ...
s,
epoxies,
latex
Latex is an emulsion (stable dispersion) of polymer microparticles in water. Latices are found in nature, but synthetic latices are common as well.
In nature, latex is found as a wikt:milky, milky fluid, which is present in 10% of all floweri ...
, etc.
Rust-Oleum remained a family-owned company until 1994, when it was acquired by current owner
RPM International Inc. In 2015, the company reached one billion dollars in revenue. Key brands include Stops Rust, High Performance, NeverWet, Painter's Touch, Universal, Varathane, Zinsser, and Watco. The company acquired Synta Inc., in 2012, Krud Kutter, Inc. and Citadel Restoration and Repair, Inc. in 2014, and Seal Krete in 2016. On the basis of market share, Rust-Oleum holds the top position in the U.S. and Canada in the rust-preventative, decorative, specialty and professional segments of the small-project paint category.
In 1979 the company's slogan, "Rust Never Sleeps", was adopted by
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian and American singer-songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, forming the folk rock group Buffalo Springfield. Since the begi ...
(upon a suggestion by
Mark Mothersbaugh
Mark Allen Mothersbaugh (; born May 18, 1950) is an American musician and composer. He came to prominence in the late 1970s as co-founder, lead vocalist and keyboardist of the new wave band Devo, whose " Whip It" was a top 20 single in the US ...
of
Devo
Devo is an American new wave band from Akron, Ohio, formed in 1973. Their classic line-up consisted of two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs ( Mark and Bob) and the Casales (Gerald and Bob), along with Alan Myers. The band had a No. 14 ...
) as
a name for an album.
Facilities
Rust-Oleum Corporation's corporate headquarters are in
Vernon Hills, Illinois
Vernon Hills is a suburb north of Chicago, Illinois in Lake County, Illinois, Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 26,850 at the 2020 census. Vernon Hills serves as a retail hub for its surrounding area (Libertyville, Illinois ...
, a northern
suburb of Chicago. Rust-Oleum manufactures product in
Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin
Pleasant Prairie is a village in Kenosha County, Wisconsin, United States. Located along the southwestern shoreline of Lake Michigan, Pleasant Prairie was home to 21,250 people at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The village is positio ...
;
Hagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown is a city in Washington County, Maryland, United States, and its county seat. The population was 43,527 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Hagerstown ranks as Maryland's List of municipalities in Maryland, sixth-most popu ...
;
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa ( ) is the List of municipalities in Oklahoma, second-most-populous city in the U.S. state, state of Oklahoma, after Oklahoma City, and the List of United States cities by population, 48th-most-populous city in the United States. The po ...
;
Lesage, West Virginia; and multiple other locations in the United States and Europe.
Helmut Jahn
Helmut Jahn (January 4, 1940 – May 8, 2021) was a German-American architect, known for projects such as the Sony Center on Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, Germany; the Messeturm in Frankfurt, Germany; the Thompson Center in Chicago; One Libert ...
designed the corporate headquarters building which has the appearance of a steamboat, including pipes adorning the atrium.
Corporate culture
The ''
Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
'' has ranked Rust-Oleum among the top mid-sized workplaces in the region in 2013, 2014, and 2015.
Sport venue
Vernon Hills High School
Vernon Hills High School, or VHHS, is a public four-year high school located in Vernon Hills, Illinois, a northern suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Community High School District 128, which also includes Libertyv ...
's football stadium is named Rust-Oleum Field, as the company donated $100,000 in exchange for 20 year naming rights. Additionally,
Libertyville High School
Libertyville High School, or LHS, is a public four-year high school located in Libertyville, Illinois, a northern suburb of Chicago, Illinois. Its campus is located on Butler Lake, at the intersection of Park Avenue (IL Rte 176) and Dawes Street. ...
's baseball program receives sponsorship from the corporation.
Brands
Official partners
Rust-Techin South Africa
MROkartin India
in Israel
References
{{reflist
External links
*http://www.rustoleum.com/ (Official US / Canada site)
*http://www.rustoleumspraypaint.com/ (Manufactured in the UK)
*http://www.rust-oleum.eu (Manufactured in Europe)
Companies based in Vernon Hills, Illinois
Chemical companies established in 1921
1921 establishments in Illinois
Paint and coatings companies of the United States