ARMOR Ingredient Branding: THE GUIDE (Plano)

GREETINGS At ARMOR we believe that if you want to work with the best, you target the best to work with. So, that brings us to the team at PLANO. Before I go any further I want to thank you for taking the time to read our packet and learn about who we are. I’m Dave Yancho. I’m the President and the Head Honcho here at Armor Protective Packaging.

As you know at PLANO from working with us, we’re eradicators of rust.

ARMOR has been a leader in rust prevention and removal for over 40 years now. We’ve taken a somewhat boring and stodgy industry and made fighting rust cool! Over the years, we’ve innovated simple concepts and products and brought marketing and branding prowess to the forefront.

We took a common thing- such as having stock inventory- and transformed it into a branded service called Stock & Ready™, offering easy ordering, quick turnaround, and fast shipping on hundreds of products. While we all might be familiar with this concept from companies like Amazon® or Little Caesars®, no one was doing these things within the industrial sector and it has differentiated ARMOR from the pack.

With Metal Rescue™, we’ve taken industrial rust removers and made them the coolest thing in the motorcycle world since Evil Knievel! More recently, our marketing team created a fun, new video series idea and launched Arrusted Development: 2 guys, 2 minutes, talk rust, on YouTube™.

Another part of our business that received a much-needed facelift (spoiler: this is the part that involves you) is our ingredient branding group. In the following pages we will explain the benefits of proper ingredient branding and highlight some examples that will be familiar to you.

We also show our own success stories of strategic partners that have experienced first-hand the advantage that ARMOR’s secret sauce has brought to their existing product-including PLANO! Lastly, we believe strong brands have value- real value! Learn about that brand equity under Brand Value and see how ARMOR and PLANO together “take it to 11” as we like to say!

All the best,

Dave Yancho

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INGREDIENT BRANDING

What Is It Anyway and Why Should I Care About It? 11

DID YOU KNOW

WHAT IS IT?

Trix Yoplait Yogurt is back!

In short, ingredient branding is when an established brand adds another established brand into the actual ingredient mix and production of their product. The intent is to reinvigorate the brand and bring added value to the consumer. Kinda like when your Uncle Ray made his famous chili for the Super Bowl, but insisted that adding one Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer to the mix was “secret sauce” that made it so damn good. It was hard to doubt Uncle Ray because he was right - it was damn good.

After a 5 year hiatus, Yoplait is bringing back the brand due to popular demand.

General Mills, the parent company of Yoplait, announced the return due to the persistence of its die-hard fans. To further the brand hype, Trix Yogurt will only be available at WalMart and Super Value. Trix are definitely not just for kids anymore!

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THE BENEFITS

DID YOU KNOW

Cookies & candies sell

Crushed Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are one of the Top 10 toppings ice cream lovers choose over all others. So it didn’t take a huge leap of faith when Breyers partnered with Reese’s to create one of their most popular ice cream brands - Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate. These days you are bound to see your fav candy, cereal or cookie brands with their own ice cream flavor because it’s way easier and less risky to take an established brand like Oreo, Fruity Pebbles or Cinnabon and create a familiar flavor than starting from scratch.

DID YOU KNOW: Intel had a big problem Even though Intel was producing the most cutting edge microprocessors in the industry, they were virtually unknown.

Once they decided to partner with OEMs like Dell and Compaq with their Intel Inside campaign, alongside their own marketing support, the Intel Inside logo became a symbol of innovation and quality. To date, it is considered one of the most effective ingredient brand ad programs in history making Intel a household name.

JUST JUSTADD ADD ARMOR ARMOR

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You have probably purchased some of these brands that have used ingredient branding because of the perceived value or interest the ingredient brand brought to the product. Way back in the day when we bought cameras, Carl Zeiss lenses 4 were a symbol of excellence and precision and still to this day the Zeiss name is associated with the same level of quality in our smart phones camera technology. How about your pricey Lululemon 5 stretchy workout pants? They are stretchy due to their use of Lycra, the leader in synthetic elastic fiber technology. Let’s not forget about your favorite Nike shoe 6 that was produced using the renown ruggedness and durability of Gore-Tex. All of these examples, plus others on the opposite page are testament to the power of ingredient branding.

WE AIN’T TALKING CO-BRANDING

They are different. Let’s go over both. Ingredient branding is when an established brand is included in the production of a fellow established brand to add value and differentiation to the end product. Co-branding is a partnership between two companies that add success to the other brand via their same circle of influence. A few examples are Bentley™ and Breitling™, Kanye and Adidas™, GoPro™ and Red Bull™, Pottery Barn™ and Sherwin Williams™ or your Uncle Ray’s famous chili and Beano™!

JUST ADD ARMOR

We have a proven track record that our ARMOR VCI Nanotechnology™ brand has brought tremendous value and performance to companies that are leaders in their industry. If you have a product that you want to take from a tasty 10 to an exceptional 11 - JUST ADD ARMOR.

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OUR BRAND

JUST ADD ARMOR

Armor Protective Packaging

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DID YOU KNOW? ARMOR knows autos

ARMOR provides VCI rust prevention and rust removal products to nearly every large automobile company in the world. Plus, we are currently creating an EV OEM plan-ofaction to provide rust prevention and removal for components of the countless electric vehicle makes and models coming soon by companies such as Tesla, Fisker and Rivian to name a few.

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DID YOU KNOW?

We were in Iron ManTM 2

Our products are so good, even Iron Man relies on them! ARMOR rust-prevention products were featured in the 2010 Marvel™ film Iron Man™ 2. Watch closely to see ARMOR WRAP® VCI Paper and the blue ARMOR POLY® vapor corrosion inhibiting bags protecting Tony Stark’s precious metals used to fix his arc reactor!

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DID YOU KNOW? ARMOR is a big deal

ARMOR serves over 90% of the Fortune 500™ industrial companies in the world.

That right there deserves a mic drop.

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DID YOU KNOW? Online rust avatar

In 2021, ARMOR launched ASK JERRY™ -an interactive, online tool designed to gather information about the specifics of a rust issue and generate a custom report of recommendations and solutions to solve it.

ASK JERRY is quick, easy-to-use (simply follow the online prompts and answer a few questions) and available 24/7 on the ARMOR website.

OUR PRODUCTS

Armor Protective Packaging is proudly a Michigan-Made company that resides just outside of Detroit in Howell, MI - close enough to the big city without losing our small town status. For over 40 years we have been quietly building one of the best VCI rust prevention and removal companies in the world. During that time our company and our products have given rise to a brand and reputation second to none in the industry.

We currently offer several different VCI poly films 5 and VCI papers 6 long with other VCI-infused packaging items 7 such as corrugated, chipboard, stretch film, emitters and desiccants. We also offer a rust removal liquid and gel 8 alongside of rust prevention liquids and sprays. 9 We like to say, “if you’ve got rust, you probably need us!”

SO WHAT IS VCI?

VCI stands for vapor corrosion inhibitor technology and in a nutshell, 5 it’s the “secret sauce” we infuse into our products, primarily packaging materials, such as paper or poly film. VCI is a class of chemical compounds that emit rust-inhibiting vapors into an enclosed air space. When metal is present, the VCI molecules form a nano-sized layer of protection on the surface of ferrous and non-ferrous metal that displaces moisture and prevents corrosion. Basically, VCI vapors knit together to form the thinnest invisible force field you can imagine to cover the surface of metal and shield it from moisture and the damaging, villainous effects of rust and corrosion. Even Iron Man can’t make that claim.

OUR Secret sauce

To sum things up, ARMOR VCI Nanotechnology™ is not just the “secret sauce” that we infuse into our products, but is the life-force behind our brand. It has a high-value ingredient profile that has a successful “plays well with others” track record. For that reason, we offer ARMOR VCI in various formats to those strategic partners who are looking to pump new life or add value to an existing product line. Those companies need to look no further than ARMOR and its proven proprietary VCI technology to give a facelift to a tired brand. All they need to do is, JUST ADD ARMOR BABY!

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1. PLANO

JUST ADD ARMOR

Leader In Plastic Tackle Boxes

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DID YOU KNOW Trailblazer

The Plano Molding Company created the first plastic tackle box in 1952.

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DID YOU KNOW VCI Resin

DID YOU KNOW ARMOR VCI Shield emitters are included in 7 Plano rifle & pistol cases of various sizes.

Existing Product

Shield Emitters

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DID YOU KNOW

Rustrictor and Edge products

Plano products that include ARMOR VCI Nanotechnology are available in thousands of stores worldwide.

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In 1952 Warren “Pete” Henning, an avid fisherman, was tired of the bulky metal tackle boxes that did not fare well with the elements -- especially during his Florida saltwater fishing trips. So he set out to design a new tackle box made of plastic that was lighter and more resistant to rust.

To say he succeeded is an understatement.

His small idea of making plastic tackle boxes revolutionized the entire fishing industry. Thus, the Plano Molding Company was born and it thrives to this very day continually adapting with the times and new materials over the years. Since those early days Plano, the undisputed leader in tackle boxes, has ventured into the gun and archery industry alongside the cosmetics industry as well.

ARMOR VCI Resin is infused into 31 Plano fishing storage/tackle box products and 17 gun/ammo products.

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COMPANY

DID YOU KNOW Global Capabilities

ARMOR ships their VCI resin to the Plano plant in the United States as well as to their sister plant in China.

ARMOR spent months in research and development with Plano to create its rust-preventing Rustrictor™ fishing and gun/ammo storage box series.

ARMOR conducted extensive testing to ensure that its VCI was effective in preventing rust when infused in plastic and foam for Plano’s specific applications.

THEY ADDED ARMOR

Since Plano started using ARMOR VCI in their Rustrictor and Edge products, they have become a staple in any angler’s arsenal. Since launching, they have won Best Tackle Storage 2019, Best Tackle Storage 2020 and Best Fly Fishing Accessory 2021. Plano’s Rustrictor and Edge products also won the Good Design Award in 2021.

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2. B’LASTER

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Work It Like A Pro 1

DID YOU KNOW

COMPANY

Location. Location. Location.

In 1957, William K. Westley developed the Original PB B’laster™ in response to a friend that was having problems with the maintenance and repair of mining equipment due to the heavy build up of corrosion, phosphate and moisture.

Metal RescueTM Rust Remover Bath is now available in over 16,000 retail locations including NAPA, Home Depot, AutoZone, Menards, Canadian Tire, and Do it Best.

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Existing Product

DID YOU KNOW

Even though they had a large product line that focused on rust, they were missing a tried-and-true rust remover and that’s where we came in. ARMOR had been manufacturing, marketing and selling it’s awardwinning rust remover, Metal Rescue, for nearly a decade in both the industrial and consumer sectors but lacked the retail clout needed to take it to the next level. While Metal Rescue had placement in nearly 10,000 retail stores including Home Depot and AutoZone™, it was difficult to expand with only one SKU.

SEMA Kudos

Metal Rescue Rust Remover Bath won three Global Media Awards from the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) in 2010 and two in 2011.

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DID YOU KNOW Clean. Safe. Easy.

Metal Rescue® Rust Remover BathTM is a clean, safe and easy water-based rust remover. Anything that can be safely soaked in water is safe in Metal Rescue.

Once the solution removes rust you can dispose of it down the drain - it’s that safe.

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DID YOU KNOW

Industrial Distribution

One gallon bottles of Metal Rescue Readyto-Use BathTM are sold through Grainger and MSC – America’s trusted sources for MRO supplies and industrial products.

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DID YOU KNOW Retail Chops

In 2020 the makers of the #1-selling penetrant, PB B'laster, added Metal Rescue Rust Remover BathTM and GEL to their the ever-expanding family of products.

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THEY ADDED ARMOR

ARMOR approached B’laster Corporation to “work it like a pro”and that they did. The Metal Rescue ingredients are now a B’laster product and retail locations have expanded to include Menards™, NAPA, and more.

Since the partnership, ARMOR has completed R&D on a new-andimproved GEL that better clings to vertical surfaces. Just “stick back” and watch the results!

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3. OTIS

JUST ADD ARMOR

Smart Gun Care

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DID YOU KNOW

Where’d the name come from

The name Otis is a family name. It is the middle name of the founder’s father.

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DID YOU KNOW Family affair

Otis Technology was founded by 16-yearold Doreen Garrett. Siblings Denise, Larry and Nick worked side-by-side with Doreen to build the company from scratch. Their parents, Jerry and Lori, were also an integral part of the business.

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DID YOU KNOW Made in America

Otis started at a kitchen table in Lyons Falls, NY, then moved to a horse barn, the site they occupy today. The company now has 180 employees sewing cases, twisting brushes, machining parts, assembling and packaging its gun care products.

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DID YOU KNOW In the beginning

The first Otis cleaning kit was called “The Whole Kit and Caboodle” because it had everything you needed to clean and clear your firearm in the field. The whole cleaning kit was packaged in a shoe polish tin.

COMPANY

Otis was born in 1985 when the founder, a 16-year-old Doreen Garrett, fell into the mud while deer hunting with her father. Her grandfather’s Model 94 Winchester barrel was chock full of water, mud and dirt - their hunting day was over before it began. That experience in the woods gave Doreen all the inspiration she needed to create a company that offered new and innovative ways to clean and care for your firearm.

Otis’ mission is to rethink and redefine gun care, giving gun owners better and smarter ways to keep their most cherished firearms in the best condition possible. Otis is Smart Gun Care.

Existing Product

Otis has a comprehensive line of gun care products but they were 4 missing a product to protect stored firearms from corrosion. As a result, ARMOR created custom handgun and rifle-sized VCI poly bags. 2 5 These bags were sold separately and were also included in 5 of the Otis Rust StopperTM Long Term Storage Kits.

THEY ADDED ARMOR

Otis created a unique and innovative long-term gun storage system utilizing their cleaning technology combined with ARMOR’s clean, safe and easy-to-use rust prevention technology. The result? Smart gun care even smarter!

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ARMOR

Who We Are & Why You Should Work With Us 1

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DID YOU KNOW ARMOR gives back

At this point you’ve either read everything or you are skipping to the back for Cliffs Notes. Either way don’t fear, you are right where you need to be. First thing ya need to know is our employees are rock stars 5 and we are their biggest fans. To learn about these VIPs you need to read ARMOR’s Core Values. They are ARMOR’s compass, foundation, and sun and moon. Everything we do is connected to these values.

DID YOU KNOW

OUR CORE VALUES

We’ve even been called Cool! Don’t just take our word for it. Crain’s Detroit Business awarded us its “Cool Places to Work in Michigan” in 2017,18,19, 21 & 22 and INC. Magazine awarded us “Best Workplaces” (2017 -2018). Mic drop!

DID YOU KNOW We do car shows

Every fall, we organize and put on the largest car show in the community with proceeds going to local Salvation Army.

ARMOR’s Great Pumpkin Classic Car Show has raised more than $150,000 over the last ten years. We are proud to say that every volunteer that makes this happen is an ARMOR employee.

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WHO ARE WE?

We believe good people make great employees and great employees do great things. That is why we created our VALOR (Volunteers of ARMOR) program that grants each employee 24 hrs a year of paid time-off to volunteer in our community.

People like us

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JUST ADD ARMOR

DID YOU KNOW We are family

This company is a family. It has been that way since the founder, John Holden, started the business selling VCI products out of the back of his van with only his wife and kids helping. That was over 40 years ago when ARMOR was called SKS Industries -- the SKS came from the initials of John’s late wife, Sheri, son Scott, and daughter Kelly. In 2004, the name was officially changed to Armor Protective Packaging or ARMOR for short.

People & Relationships Come First: Profits will Follow!

Our customers are people not numbers, so above all else our business is about building and maintaining relationships, even if it means sacrificing short-term profits. We expect our team to go 5 miles beyond the “extra mile” for the people we serve and for each other. We’d rather go further than expected, than find out we didn’t go far enough.

Good is the Enemy of GREAT!–––– We don’t settle for “good enough”- good is average and we inherently strive to be great. When you spend $150 on concert tickets and someone asks you how the concert was and you say “it was good”, that’s certainly not a ringing endorsement. If you’re blowing $150 a ticket on floor seating for Steely Dan you’d hope it would be great! ARMOR people take pride and ownership in all we do. Good just doesn’t cut it at ARMOR. Delight the Customer!

We want customers to be “delighted” not just satisfied. Satisfactory is for mediocre companies- ARMOR desires to be something more! We “take it to 11!” When we hit a “10” and make that extra push to do even more for the customer, they never forget and neither do we.

AuFUNtic!!!

ARMOR’s culture promotes a proper work/life balance. We play when we work and we work when we play. Whether it’s at work or at our kid’s little league game, we are the same people night and day. We are are authentic and fun people. As a result, we officially coined the word “auFUNtic” 6 to describe ARMOR’s overall state of mind. Google it.

We believe auFUNtic is our superpower (lightning strike).

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BRAND VALUE

JUST ADD ARMOR

A TRUSTED SOURCE

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DID YOU KNOW?

Aaker’s Brand Value Model

Aaker’s Brand Equity Model interprets brand equity as a combination of a brand's awareness, loyalty and perceived quality.

These assets can help a company increase the value of its products or services, which can have several benefits for the customer.

Brand equity can: • Help retrieve information • Influence purchasing decisions • Increase customer satisfaction

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DID YOU KNOW?

Our Customers are “Big Time”

ARMOR is trusted by thousands of companies around the world for rust prevention on their valuable products.

ARMOR serves over 90% of the Fortune 500™ industrial companies around the world including some of world’s biggest and best brands such as Caterpillar, Volvo, BMW, Ford, Toyota, Stihl, John Deere, Honda, GM, IBM, Rolls Royce to name a few!

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DID YOU KNOW?

Computing Brand Value ARMOR’S customers on average are willing to pay on average $.30 more for every dollar spent to use ARMOR products.

ARMOR’s New COnsumer logo

ARMOR BRAND AS A PRODUCT

As a product, ARMOR vapor corrosion inhibitor products are the staple rust preventative of leading brands around the world. As an example, BMW chooses ARMOR to protect thousands of engine and transmissions from rust in shipping and storage. But it’s more than just protecting the parts. ARMOR people and products protect customers’ brands, parts and reputation.

ARMOR BRAND AS AN ORGANIZATION

As a company, ARMOR puts people and relationships before profits. We strive to delight the customer and believe good is the enemy of great.

These core values, along with being auFUNtic (our made up word for being authentic but having fun) align our goals with our brand. Companies rely on ARMOR not just for our product performance but for the quality of our service and the convenience we provide customers. Our goal is to Take the Work Out of Your Workday™ by making our products 5 and services, clean, safe and easy to use.

ARMOR BRAND AS A SYMBOL

The ARMOR name and logos are recognizable within various industries.

Further, the name ARMOR implies protection and strength. Like a suit of ARMOR, the ARMOR brand provides worry-free, rust-free protection in whatever product we produce or partner in. From corrosion inhibiting bags for BMW automotive plants to VCI Paper for John Deere tractor parts to Plano™ Rustrictor™ tackle boxes for anglers, the ARMOR brand takes the work out of your workday and rust out of the equation.

THE ARMOR DIFFERENCE

Day after day, customers choose ARMOR branded products over lower priced generic VCI products. The proven product performance of ARMOR products for over 40 years, commands, on average a 30% price premium.

If you’re a company looking to add an ingredient branding partner to your product, look no further than ARMOR to help you create unmatched value in the marketplace.