J.C. Whitlam Mfg.’s story begins with a young man and a moment of ingenuity. “My great-great-grandfather, J.C. Whitlam II, came from Canada and started working in a paint store in Cleveland in the late 1800s,” says Mason Whitlam, national sales manager and fifth-generation family member to work within the family-owned and -operated company. “Back in those days, pipefitters would come in and ask for lead paste to thread pipe. It wasn’t the safest way to thread pipe, and he knew there had to be another alternative.”
Seeing an opportunity, the young Whitlam experimented with safer materials. “He realized he could make his own product, and he called it Tyte-Unyte — it was the first lead-free thread compound ever introduced to the world,” Mason Whitlam explains. “It quickly became a hit, not only because it was safer, but because it was three times the bulk value of lead paste, making it much more economical to use.”
The product’s success led him to open his own small manufacturing plant in Cleveland before moving operations to Wadsworth, Ohio, in 1912. “We still operate in Wadsworth — the original building is still part of the facility — it’s just expanded many times over.”
That same spirit of determination carried through the generations, most notably when the company faced one of its greatest tests. “In 1931, my great-great-grandfather passed away, leaving the business to his only son, my great-grandfather, J.C. Whitlam III,” Mason Whitlam shares. “He was only 16 years old at the time when he came in and took over the company. I can’t imagine what that must have been like.”
At a time when lenders were urging him to sell, the young Whitlam chose instead to teach himself every aspect of the business. “He never went to college,” Mason Whitlam says. “I was always told his office was lined with books, and he taught himself everything he knew.” Through grit and persistence, he led the company through the Great Depression and beyond.
By the late 1940s, J.C. Whitlam III had paid off all the company’s debts and vowed never to borrow money again, a principle that still guides the business today. “We don’t borrow any money,” Mason Whitlam says with pride. “This expansion project we’re doing now is paid for by profits we’ve accumulated over the years. That’s who we are.”
The 1970s and 1980s marked another defining era for the company. “That’s when my grandfather and my great-uncle, Douglas A. Whitlam, current CEO, really joined the business and expanded it to the size you see today,” Mason Whitlam explains. “They expanded significantly, adding PVC cements and getting more into plastic pipe compounds.”
During that time, the company also ventured into retail with two small paint stores in Wadsworth, one located below the current facility. “We used to sell wall paint and things like that,” Mason Whitlam recalls. “That part of the business went by the wayside in the 1990s, but we still have a paint business today — we sell sports turf marking paints and similar products.”
As the company evolved, so did its focus. “In the ’90s, we put a core focus on our existing businesses — plumbing, irrigation, waterworks, industrial and HVAC — which remain our primary focus today,” he states.
Family remains at the center of J.C. Whitlam Mfg.’s success — both in spirit and in day-to-day operations. “Right now, we have four Whitlams working for the company, spanning three generations,” Mason Whitlam says. “That’s a pretty rare thing to see in this industry — or in any industry nowadays.”
As the company continues to grow, his own role has evolved. “I wear a lot of hats,” he admits with a laugh. “I’m dipping more into operations as well because we’re expanding so quickly. It’s not that we need more sales guys out there — we really need more people inside, steering the boat in the right direction.”
Mason Whitlam’s father, Mark Whitlam, serves as president and oversees product development and global sales. “Every product that’s come out since the mid-1990s, he’s had a hand in developing,” Mason Whitlam explains. “He’s also been instrumental in expanding our reach internationally. We have significant business in Canada and the Caribbean, and we’ve done business in Europe for many years. More recently, we’ve started working with partners in New Zealand and Australia.”
Mason’s great-uncle, Doug Whitlam, the CEO, joined the company in the 1960s alongside Mason Whitlam’s grandfather, Jack Whitlam. “They were only a couple of years apart,” Mason Whitlam recalls. “My grandfather was the older brother, and he always loved being out in the field. He thought he could learn more from being with customers than sitting behind a desk. My great uncle, Doug, was happy to be the one inside, making sure operations ran smoothly and products kept moving. They worked great as a team; a kind of match made in heaven.”
Sadly, Jack Whitlam passed away in 2023, but his legacy remains deeply felt. “He was the quintessential traveling salesman,” Mason Whitlam says fondly. “He did it up until the day he passed. When I took over some of his responsibilities in Florida, so many people shared how much he meant to them — not only as a salesman, but as a friend. That really spoke to who he was.”
Today, Doug Whitlam’s son, Sean Whitlam, carries the torch as vice president of operations. “He handles purchasing and a lot of the backend operations — making sure we’re running smoothly so the sales team can do its job,” Mason Whitlam notes. “He’s also been assuming more of Doug’s responsibilities as Doug transitions the responsibilities to the next generation. It’s really a continuation of what’s always made us strong: a family working together, each of us focused on what we do best.”
What started as a simple pipe-threading compound has grown into a full line of trusted solutions. From thread sealants and solvent cements to pipe repair products, Whitlam Mfg. has become a cornerstone brand in the plumbing and waterworks sectors. “We’ve always believed that quality and consistency come first,” Mason Whitlam tells me. “That belief has guided every generation of leadership at Whitlam — and it’s the foundation for everything we do.”
A legacy of U.S. manufacturing
The company’s deep commitment to American manufacturing is reflected in its hands-on approach, ensuring every product carrying the Whitlam name meets the highest standards of quality. While the company’s core competency is manufacturing chemical compounds, it expanded its portfolio in the 1990s by acquiring Plumb-Pro, a tool company out of Florida. “We purchased the company to expand our offering to wholesalers,” Mason Whitlam says.
When it comes to production in Ohio, keeping everything stateside remains central to Whitlam’s philosophy. “We are all about quality control,” Mason Whitlam notes. “When everything is in-house, you know what is taking place with the product. You know it is being made to your standards, and you can make changes or improvements in real time.”
That dedication to craftsmanship is reinforced by an experienced team whose knowledge runs deep. While technology and innovation drive progress, Mason Whitlam is quick to point out that the company’s success ultimately comes down to its people.
“When you have the tenure that we do — we’ve got people who have been with us for decades, some mixing the same formulations for 20 or 30 years — you know that knowledge and consistency are hard to replicate. I feel as if you lose a lot of that when you outsource your manufacturing process,” he says .
That sense of loyalty and shared purpose is palpable. “Our employees are part of the Whitlam family,” Mason Whitlam says. “They care about the company’s success as much as we do. That’s what makes our culture special.”
He adds that the company’s leadership approach is grounded in accessibility and collaboration. “We don’t operate from an ivory tower,” he says. “I’m out on the floor every day, talking with the team, listening to their ideas. That’s how innovation happens — when everyone feels they have a voice.”
Equally important is listening to those who use their products every day. “We have a great network of contractors who aren’t afraid to tell us how they feel about the product, and make changes in real time if needed,” Mason Whitlam adds. “American manufacturing gives us the combination of control, quality and accountability that’s been really a cornerstone of our growth and brand identity.”
The J.C. Whitlam company has doubled down on its commitment to keeping operations local. The company’s 100,000-square-foot facility in Wadsworth, Ohio, recently expanded to support its continued growth by building a 10,000-square-foot operation across the street, and the campus-like footprint allows for future growth. “It’ll nearly double our solvent weld cement, primer and cleaner production,” Mason Whitlam says proudly. “Over the past five to 10 years, that’s been our fastest-growing product segment.”
The new facility will also create capacity for the company’s growing line of water-based products — a move Mason Whitlam says is key to meeting customer demand. “As we move those lines over, it’s going to free up a lot of space and allow us to expand our water-based products, particularly Blue Lube, our pipe gasket lubricants and even some of our paints,” he explains.
That demand continues to grow across multiple markets. “We’ve seen strong demand not only from wholesalers but also from OEM customers who ship it alongside pipe by the truckload,” he says. “This new facility is going to give us the flexibility to run multiple lines at once and add significant efficiency, which in turn allows us to better support our wholesale customers and attract new business.”
For Whitlam, this expansion is more than an operational upgrade; it reflects steady, sustainable growth built on a long-term vision. “It’s been a long time coming,” Mason Whitlam says with a smile. “We’re very excited about it. It’s going to be a win-win all around.”
That same focus on U.S. manufacturing also defines how Whitlam builds relationships within the wholesale channel with partnerships rooted in trust, collaboration and a shared commitment to quality that continues to drive the company forward. “Our identity has always been tied to the wholesale channel,” Mason Whitlam says. “It’s how my grandfather built the business and how my father expanded it. Wholesalers are our partners, not just our customers.”
He adds: “Keeping our products in the professional channel helps maintain both quality and credibility. Wholesalers have been our backbone for 125 years, and we have always tried to support them in return. They should have an advantage over retail, not the other way around, and that commitment is the core of who we are.”
That partnership-based philosophy drives how the company approaches product development, distribution and even customer service. “When we think about launching a new product or improving a process, we’re always asking how it helps the wholesaler,” Mason Whitlam explains. “Can we make it easier for them to sell? Can we give them a product that’s more durable, safer or easier to use? Those questions are at the core of our business.”
The team regularly works with its partners to ensure they understand the technical advantages of Whitlam’s products — from application best practices to material compatibility and code compliance. “Our success depends on their success,” Mason Whitlam adds. “We’ve never lost sight of that.”
Innovation with purpose
Whitlam’s reputation for reliability is well-established, but what has kept the company relevant after 125 years is its ability to innovate deliberately and thoughtfully, and always with the end user in mind.
Over the decades, the company’s product line has expanded to include an extensive range of pipe thread sealants, solvent cements, cleaners, lubricants and specialty chemicals for plumbing, waterworks and HVAC applications. “We have more than 400 SKUs,” Mason Whitlam says proudly. “And every one of them has been developed to meet a specific market need. That’s something we take very seriously.”
Innovation at Whitlam isn’t about chasing trends; it’s about solving real problems. “Innovation for us means understanding what our customers and their customers are facing in the field,” Mason Whitlam explains. “Whether it’s regulatory changes, new materials or application challenges, we develop products that make their jobs easier and more reliable.”
Around 2021, the company recognized a new challenge — while its products enjoyed strong brand recognition, not everyone realized they came from a family-owned and -operated manufacturer, with a rich 125-year history. “I would go to trade shows and hold up a can of Blue Magic or Flow-Aide and ask if they used our product, and the answers were always, ‘yes,’ but when I asked if they knew the manufacturer behind the brand, they didn’t know,” he says.
Determined to change that, he and the team introduced the Talon brand name, reimagining the packaging for many of Whitlam’s legacy products. The bold new look, featuring an eagle, a symbol synonymous with American strength, connected the brand’s modern identity to its long heritage. “We’ve been American-made for more than 125 years, and the premium branding is eye-catching, and we have the quality to back it up, too,” Mason Whitlam says.
In 2021, Whitlam rebranded additional products, including its thread sealants and solvent cements, and within a year, sales had doubled. “They are the same products with a new label,” Mason Whitlam notes. “We’ve gotten a lot of contractors who like the branding, and the quality of the products kept them around.”
More than a marketing success, the rebrand was a reaffirmation of what makes Whitlam strong: trust, authenticity and the personal connection of a family name. “It’s that tie back to who we are, and our ability to problem-solve for our customers,” he says. “And it keeps us growing.”
Positioned for the future
The company celebrated its anniversary this year with various customer appreciation events, as well as a planned celebration at AIM/R. As the company looks ahead, Mason Whitlam sees tremendous opportunity in the markets J.C. Whitlam already serves, as well as in new segments and geographies.
Part of that growth will come through product diversification and exploring new opportunities. To say the company is in growth mode while managing quality excellence is an understatement.
“We have built a foundation of people who have lived and breathed the business for years, and sometimes even generations,” Mason Whitlam explains. “Another of our biggest advantages is that we have continuity in leadership, and it has allowed us to stay true to our values while also quickly adapting to opportunities and challenges that arise.”
“When you think about it, we’ve been part of the American plumbing and waterworks story for more than a century,” he says. “That’s something we take a lot of pride in.”
However, pride, as Mason notes, is only part of the equation. “It’s about stewardship — taking what our forefathers built and making it even stronger for the next generation.”
For J.C. Whitlam Mfg., the story of growth and innovation isn’t only a tagline — it’s a philosophy that runs through every decision, every product and every handshake. And as Mason Whitlam and the team at J.C. Whitlam look toward the next century, the focus is clear: to honor the company’s history by continuing to build its future.
