About Us – HarrisonPaint

In the year 1911, Clarence E. Harrison, a paint and varnish maker from Cadiz, Ohio decided to start his own business in Cleveland. He had learned the secrets of varnish making from his father, who had developed some high quality varnish formulas that were passed along to Clarence. The Company was known as the C. E. Harrison Company.

In 1929, Mr. Harrison decided to sell his successful business to Gordon G. (G.G.) Walters. Despite the depression, business expanded. The business name was changed to The Harrison Paint and Varnish Company in 1933. The flagship brand name, then as now, was Dutch Standard.

As business increased, the need for larger facilities and rail siding caused Mr. Walters to move the business in 1936 to the facilities once owned by Arlington Paint in Canton, Ohio. An additional alkyd resin plant was added in 1944 to meet the paint and coatings demands of the defense industry.

Harrison Paint continued to grow by providing high quality products to independent paint dealers and also through acquisition. In 1959, Harrison Paint purchased the Midland Varnish Company of Cleveland, in business since 1919, which specialized in industrial and production finishes and transportation enamels. In 1980, the company purchased the Kilrust and Trade Sales Divisions of Hanna Chemical Coatings of Columbus and in 1987 acquired The Worth Paint Company of Lake Worth, Florida.

As sales grew so did the need for additional space. Over the years, the Canton plant and offices were expanded many times, growing from the original 35,000 square feet to its current 173,250 square feet of production, warehouse and office facilities.

In 1998 the Walters family agreed to a merger between Harrison Paint with Cook & Dunn Paints of New Jersey. The Company returned to local family ownership when purchased by the Lauber family in December of 2000. Two years later, Harrison acquired Excelsior Coatings of Cleveland, Ohio. In business since 1890, Excelsior specializes in clear coatings, pigmented and non- skid floor coatings for wood and concrete. The Olde Century Colors line of preminum quality paints joined the Harrison Paint family in 2015. Olde Century Colors offers Acrylic and Simulated Milk paints in 58 historic colors.

Today, the Harrison Paint Company continues to serve the independent paint dealer market with one of the broadest lines of paints, stains, varnishes and coatings available.

Welcome to Harrison Paint … We protect and beautify surfaces.