ARMOR Fortunate Magazine

A N N U A L G R AT I T U D E I S S U E

FEBRUARY 2021

& WHY YOU SHOULD TOO!

O U R E M P L OY E E S A R E

ROCK STARS Our company is filled with extraordinary people doing extraordinary things and

they don’t need a stage to prove it. Instead, they work outside of the spotlight doing what they do best - for our company and our customers. Whether filling orders, community volunteering or playing air guitar, - ARMOR employees are different and we are their biggest fans.

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If you think you have the chops, maybe it’s time you join a different kind of company. armorvci.com

CONTENTS

FOUNDER John Holden CHIEF CONTENT DUDE Dave Yancho CHIEF EXECUTIVE DUDE Robin McConnell

FEATURES

FRONT/BACK COVER ILLUSTRATION Sarah Choate DESIGN DUDE Bob Patten

ARMOR USA HQ 1551 N. Burkhart Rd Howell, Michigan 48855 USA PH 517.546.1117 TOLL FREE 8OO.365.1117 FAX 248.573.O241 EMAIL info@armorvci.com ARMORVCI.COM ARMOR CANADA 862 Arvin Ave (Unit 4 Mail/Office, Unit 2 Shipping/Receiving) Stoney Creek, Ontario Canada L8E 5P2 PH 905.643.9839 TOLL FREE 888.757.6303 FAX 905.643.3688 EMAIL info@armorvci.ca ARMORVCI.CA

MEET THE BIG WIGS

HOW WE GIVE BACK

1979-2020

Two Guys

Viva Valor

Timeline

ARMOR has two guys at the helm that are very different, but they complement each other to create a very different kind of workplace.

In 2017, ARMOR decided to officially put in place a company-wide volunteer program named VALOR.

Take a look at how far we have come from selling product out of the back of a van to a modern day industry leader.

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WHAT WE BELIEVE

ARMOR ANALYTICS

IN THEIR WORDS

Four Core

Five Words

Their Say

The core building blocks the ARMOR team uses internally to help guide them in decision making and team building.

ARMOR employees were asked to describe their work environment with five words. See what they said.

Why is ARMOR an “AUFUNTIC” place to work? How does ARMOR increase overall employee satisfaction and productivity?

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AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Crain’s Detroit: COOL PLACES TO WORK (2017-2019) Inc. Magazine: BEST WORKPLACES (2018-2019) Forbes Magazine: SMALL GIANTS AWARD (2020)

ARMORVCI.C OM

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2 GUYS

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ONE COMPANY

TWO FEARLESS LEADERS SPEAK UP ABOUT EACH OTHER

INTEGRATOR

ROBIN MCCONELL

THE PREZ - OWNER

Robin has a black belt in chemistry and is a certified wizard when it comes to numbers. He works with our lab developing new products and perfecting our existing ones. He has an absolute knack to convert complex chemistry into products that are clean, safe and easy. Robin’s ying and my yang compliment each other nicely. Our partnership continues to growcloser year-after-year.

- Dave

Bonafide travel and Scotch afficionado

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INNOVATOR

DAVE YANCHO

VICE PREZ - OWNER

Dave’s our innovator. Early on, he recognized the need for impactful marketing which has helped us pole vault over our competition with a brand that is distinct and memorable. His Stock & Ready™ program has changed the way we do business. Dave is the beating heart of ARMOR. Together we have created a culture that attracts only the best and brightest.

We make a great team.

- Robin

Diehard MSU Spartan Willys Jeep Enthusiast

TEAM ARMOR’s success is bigger than any two people. In fact, it’s bigger than any ten or twenty. Our success depends on every single person that works here buying in and doing what must be done to delight the customer at every turn, every single day. We have worked hard to create a company that expects more out of each other because we know that good is the enemy of great and for that reason we never tire of going the extra mile. This kind of dedication requires very special people and very special people expect more out of a workplace.

For that very reason we have worked hard to create an environment that feels more like family than a company. We depend on each other and we genuinely care for each other. We celebrate the highs and we shoulder the lows together. It took us a while to learn our golden rule - relationships come first and profits will follow.

We discovered by following that north star everything else, amazingly, falls into place. It makes us different. Customers, vendors and even our competition know we are different, the real deal, and we have a ton of fun along the way. In fact, we have even coined a word we use internally that describes us perfectly.

We are “AUFUNTIC!” Authentic and fun! That sums us up perfectly.

ARMOR VALOR HOW WE GIVE BACK

VALORTEERING In 2017, ARMOR decided to officially put in place a company-wide volunteer program named VALOR. This program allows each employee up to 24 hrs per year of paid release time to dedicate toward local community volunteerism.

ARMOR currently has two designated

CHARITY

VALOR partners: The Salvation Army of Livingston County and The Livingston County United Way. ARMOR employees contribute 16 hrs. to the VALOR partners and are allowed to use the remaining 8 hrs. towards charities of their choosing.

• 24 HRS A YEAR PER EMPLOYEE • 950 HRS TOTAL PER YEAR • OVER 4500 HRS SINCE ITS INCEPTION

THE ARMO R

The ARMOR Great Pumpkin Classic Car Show is the largest ARMOR VALOR event and its proceeds benefit the Salvation Army. It raised $17,000 in 2018 and $17,500 in 2019. It takes 300+ volunteer hours to plan and execute this one event. NOTE: These hours are not part of employees’ 24 paid VTO hours - they are personal volunteer hours.

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ARMOR GROWS

TIME 2004

1979

NEW NAME, SAME COMPANY

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

John Holden forms SKS Industries, named after his wife Shari, daughter Kelly and son Scott, to distribute silicone release and Anox VCI papers from the back of his van.

1993

1998

FROM NEAR FAILURE TO SUCCESS

EXPANSION AT JONES ST

SKS Industries of Canada is formed between John Holden and Keith Johnston ensuring direct control of VCI paper coating and converting.

1983 HORSE STABLES TO MILITARY APPROVAL

SKS Industries focuses on VCI Papers and is granted U.S. Military approval.

1995 VCI FILM TO THE MIX

SKS Industries adds VCI films to the product line.

THE BIG THREE TAKE NOTICE

MOTORING ALONG

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Once MPI and Wax papers were added, along with military approval, the auto industry in the Motor City begin to rely on ANOX VCI Papers.

®

2000

1996

1987

SKS is growing, so the 951 Jones Street headquarters gets a major facelift by doubling the square footage of the office and warehouse space to adjust for future & present growth.

SKS makes a major branding move and changes name to Armor Protective Packaging®.

The first direct outside sales rep is hired to grow and manage sales. ANOX VCI Papers grow in acceptance by GM, Ford and Chrysler.

EXPANSION TO MEXICO

Mexico sales increase with new key brake manufacturers Rassini® and Brembo® and a partnership begins with our first international channel partner, Placosa®, setting the stage for rapid growth globally in the following years.

2005 LEADERSHIP TRANSITION

Robin and Dave begin transferring ownership from John as he steps away from day- to-day operations. ARMOR launches new industry revolutionary poly films DEFENDERTM and CRUSADERTM.

BY PUTTING PEOPLE & RELATIONSHIPS FIRST, GROWTH FOLLOWED!

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ARMOR LEADS

2006

2013

2018

WHAT A BRIGHT IDEA

WORKSHOP HERO PICKS AMERICAN PICKER American Pickers® star Frank Fritz joins Workshop Hero brand as spokesman. Dry Coat wins AAPEX award for best new product.

STOCK & READY DEBUTS

2014

2019

MOVING ON UP

PLANO PARTNERSHIP

ARMOR builds and moves into new International HQ. Canadian Tire stores stock Workshop Hero products.

ARMOR partners with Plano to create rust resistant storage systems for hunting and fishing.

2015

2020

ARMOR LAUNCHES VALOR

B’LASTER PARTNERSHIP

Bright Idea TechnologyTM is patented allowing visible proof that VCI is present in ARMOR POLY® Film. The ARMOR management team and global network continues to strengthen.

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2009 MAKING LEMONADE OUT OF LEMONS

ARMOR diversifies by starting its Workshop HeroTM consumer division during the Great Recession.

GLOBAL REACH

ARMOR expands its global reach with key distribution partnerships to the United Kingdom and China.

2008 METAL RESCUE TO THE RESCUE

Metal Rescue Rust Remover Bath® is introduced. ARMOR is named to INC 5000TM as one of the fastest growing private companies in America.

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Stock & ReadyTM program launches. ARMOR wins INC Best Workplaces® & Crains' Cool Places to Work®. ARMOR hosts Great Pumpkin Classic Car Show. .

2010 ARMOR GOES HOLLYWOOD

Metal Rescue awarded Best New Product at SEMA in Las Vegas. ARMOR goes Hollywood with product cameos in Iron Man 2TM movie.

2011 METAL RESCUE RETAIL DEBUTS

250 Menards® stores stock Workshop Hero products. Dry CoatTM Rust Preventative product is officially launched.

Employee volunteer program debuts. We receive Michigan Top 50 Companies to Watch Award.

B’LASTER Corp®. takes over consumer sales of both Metal Rescue and Dry Coat products.

2017 AWARDED COOL PLACE TO WORK

Given Crain’s Cool Places to Work® award. ARMOR installs coater & receives Caterpillar approval.

2017- 2019 >

CRAIN’S

Inc. BEST CES

WORKPLA

< 2017- 2018

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4 CORE

WHAT WE BELIEVE

FOUR CORE VALUES WE LIVE & WORK BY The building blocks the ARMOR team used internally to attain and retain loyal and valued customers.

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RELATIONSHIPS & PEOPLE COME FIRST: PROFITS WILL FOLLOW! We protect and preserve relationships over shortterm profits. We’re all in this together and at ARMOR personal gain is willingly sacrificed for the greater good.

We build each other up so we can perform at our best and better serve our customers.

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TWO

THREE

FOUR

GOOD IS THE ENEMY OF GREAT!

DELIGHT THE CUSTOMER!

AUFUNTIC!

We don’t settle for “good enough”good is average, we inherently strive to be great. ARMOR people take ownership and have pride in all we do.

We want customers to be “delighted” not just satisfied.

Satisfactory is for mediocre companies- ARMOR desires to be GREAT!

ARMOR culture promotes work/life balance; fun and enjoyment. We are authentic-we don’t act one way at home or in our personal life and another way at work. We believe fun is a super power!

FUN FACT: If you Google auFUNtic, only ARMOR comes up. Let’s just say, we own “the being auFUNtic” space in this world.

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ANALYTICS WORDS MEAN THINGS ARMOR employees were asked in an independent workplace survey to describe their work environment in five words.

SUPPORT

BUSY

OPTIMISM

PROGRESS

ENJOYABLE

FRIENDLY LOYAL

FAMILY

POSITIVE

FUN

EMPOWERED

AUFUNTIC

HAPPY GROWTH

TEAMWORK

walktHE-WALK

SAFE CARING SERVICE

HARDWORKING

EXCITING

TRAINING

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COREVALUES

PRODUCTIVE

CREATIVE

COOL COMFORTABLE

FLEXIBLE

COREVALUES

CLEAN LEAD GOOD MOOD

most frequently used words 1. FUN

2. AUFUNTIC

3. CARING

4. SAFE

5. FAMILY

ARMOR was one of Fortune® magazine’s 2020 Small Giants winners putting being GREAT ahead of being big. These fives words highlight why!

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