In 1888, Dr. Allen DeVilbiss invented the atomizer to apply medicine to his patient's throats. In 1907, his son's experiments with a spray gun led to the development of spray finishing and this simple device was adapted to apply paint. Today, this process finishes everything from toys to military vehicles. Spray finishing, as we know it today, is a derivative of Dr. DeVilbiss' original invention. In 1936, Harold Ransburg began working with electrostatics, charging paint and grounding the surface to be painted. The U.S. Patent Office granted him a patent for the electrostatic spray coating process in July, 1941. Through continued experiments to improve the process, his tinkering evolved to the electrostatic coating process of today. Products spawned from this technology include rotary atomizers, such as bells and disks, that have become part of the leading edge of today's high transfer efficiency atomization processes. In March, 1990 Illinois Tool Works (ITW) brought Ransburg and DeVilbiss under the same umbrella, creating ITW Finishing Systems and Products Group. ITW analyzed DeVilbiss and Ransburg's product strengths and electrostatics and decided these two giants could most effectively serve the industry as one business unit instead of two vast corporations. By structuring the company into focused business units, ITW created a company that could readily respond to customer needs and market changes.