You may not know it, but one of the most commonly used products in the average U.S. household is made in Walled Lake, Michigan. That is the Brillo brand, which includes its sponges and cleaning pads.
Its parent company, Armaly Brands, has a long history of innovation in sponge technology, including the introduction of Armaly ProPlus polyester sponges and Brillo Estracell More Sanitary sponges in the 1960s, and one of America’s favorite car wash sponges, AutoShow brand in the 1990s. In 2010, Armaly acquired the Brillo brand and in 2016 acquired the traditional cleaning brands SnoBol, Cameo and Parsons.
The company is growing again. Armaly Sponge Company – home of the Armaly ProPlus brand America’s Best Soft Tools, a key brand in professional and do-it-yourself surface preparation, finish and cleaning – announced recently it has acquired Acme Sponge Company.
Acme Sponge Company, located in Tarpon Springs, Florida, is a distributor of natural sponges globally and in the United
Over the past 70 years, it has grown into a diverse multinational company, offering a wide variety of
Officials say the acquisition will increase
“We are excited to combine our unique assets and expertise with that of Armaly Sponge Company to create an even stronger company with the same family values upon which both companies were founded and have thrived,” said Jim Cantonis, president of Acme Sponge Company.
Headquartered in Walled Lake, Michigan, family-owned and operated for 110 years, and founded in 1908 in the Bahamas as a worldwide producer of natural sponges, Armaly has grown and changed with technology and the times to maintain its reputation and position as one of the world’s leading manufacturers of consumer and professional sponge and cleaning products.
“We helped strengthen our global platform to provide natural sea sponges at a great value,” he said. “Additionally, we now have the capabilities to provide new products for personal care and household cleaning which help maximize our shipping efficiencies for our retail partners.”
For the next 12 months and beyond, he said the newly expanded company is looking to add more products and maybe other businesses to its mix.
“Our growth strategy for 2019 and beyond is to deliver meaningful value to our consumers through acquisitions, new products, unique applications and better education,” he said. “We are continuing to invest in our innovation pipeline to deliver meaningfully unique items for Armaly ProPlus and Brillo branded products.”
It’s been a busy time for Armaly, but the management staff likes it that way because it is an industry that always looks to improve upon its success.
“Our industry is similar to others as brands and products drive to differentiate while reducing costs,” Cantonis said. “We continue to explore and maximize our system and products to meet and exceed industry expectations. We provide retailers and consumers quality solutions with the right tool for the job at a great value.”
