History

The Armor All Story

The Armor All story started in a Southern California laboratory in 1962, when 21-year-old polymer chemist, Joe Palcher, invented a "miracle" formula to protect the inside surfaces of his car from the harmful effects of nature's elements.

Joe came up with the winning recipe now known as Armor All Protectant, and ever since his elixir of life for car interiors found its way into local accessory shops, Armor All's boffins have used Protectant as the springboard to a whole range of pioneering new car appearance products, such as Wipes and Gels...helping to maintain the condition and appearance of cars, for those who care about them.

These days, Armor All continue to lead the way, winning countless awards for its products, and constantly developing new products to tackle any challenge.

Some famous dates:

1961 - Joe Palcher invents Tridon ("No Dirt" backwards)(soon to become Protectant)

1966 - Noticing how shiny the tires on Joe's Jaguar are, a shop owner convinces Joe to bottle and sell the product

1969 - Following the trend of adding initials such as "GT" to signify performance, Tridon is renamed RT-10

1970's - Alan Rypinski, a marketing specialist and automotive enthusiast secures exclusive rights to sell RT-10 and sets about developing a new name for the product. He comes up with Armor All for the corporate name and the product is then titled Armor All with GT-10. Since many people think GT-10 is an additive, the product's name is changed again, for the final time, to Armor All Protectant

With more and more people trying to copy the product, it is decided a new image is needed and "Arnie Armor All" is created. Meanwhile, Canada, Australia, Germany and Japan become the first countries to sell Protectant

1980's - Demand for Protectant goes crazy as people realise its benefits can be unleashed on all manner of household and other surfaces

1986 - Armor All adds its second product with the launch of Multi-Purpose Cleaner

1987 - Armor All Car Wash is launched

1991 - Armor All Tire Foam is introduced to the market

1992 - Leather Care is the next product to be introduced by Armor All

1993 - Turning its attention back on to wheels, Armor All unveils Wheel Cleaner

1994 - Nearly 30 years on, a low-gloss version of Protectant is introduced

1995 - Armor All Protectant and Tire Foam continue to lead the way in each sector

1996 - Armor Plate Paint Protectant becomes the first product to tackle the burgeoning wax market

1997 - Glass Cleaner is added to a rapidly expanding range of products for the interior and exterior car care market

2000 - The introduction of Armor All Wipes was truly revolutionary. By combining the protection and shine of sprays with the convenience of a wipe, Armor All made it easier than ever to keep your car looking like new, even during the busiest times

2005 - Armor All Gels were launched in a continuing effort to make it easier for you to achieve the level of beauty you are looking for. Long-lasting shine, rich and luxurious looking leather, and most importantly, protection, can now be applied in precise amounts and locations

2007 - Despite the ongoing success of Wipes, Armor All has recently introduced a number of new cleaning accessories, designed to compliment its original range of products, including a Wash Mitt, Polishing Cloth, All Purpose Cloth and a Glass Cloth