Though times and technology are ever changing, some things, specifically, the need to clean, never go away. For that job, nothing is more effective than a sponge. Sponges are somewhat eternal, too; they are a form of animal that hasn’t changed and, in fact, has been used the same way for thousands of years. In 2008, Armaly Brands, America’s oldest producer of sponges, is celebrating its centennial with newer products and an advertising campaign that emphasizes the sanitary, safe side of cleaning, both at home and at work. If you take a look around, you will see that Armaly products really do improve your quality of life. They wash your car, walls and dishes. Best of all, they do it the same way they did it 100 years ago – safely and effectively.
In the late 1800s, W. J. Armaly, his mother and wife, Sadie, escaped the Ottoman Empire for the Bahamas, and settled in Nassau. There, in 1908, W.J. Armaly had an epiphany. He realized that natural sponges, culled from the ocean’s floor, are an absorbent and durable means of cleaning. In those days, natural sponges accounted for almost 100% of the Bahamas’ gross national product. A business was born and soon, W. J. harvested, processed and shipped natural sponges to locations all over the world.
Despite a prosperous life in the Bahamas, W.J. and Sadie wished to educate their oldest son, John, in Canada. John traveled to Windsor, Ontario, to attend secondary school, and remained in North America for the rest of his life. Upon John’s graduation, the attraction of both Detroit-area relatives and a thriving economy brought him across the Detroit River to the United States where he became a citizen. In Detroit, John worked for Crowley, Milner and Company, a local department store, as a route driver delivering parts to gas stations where cars were also washed. There, John offered samples of natural sponges to his customers who ultimately wanted to buy them; his Bahamian accent and tales of island life only enhanced his selling abilities. The sponges became enormously popular. To keep up with increasing demand, John purchased bales of natural sponges from his father and sold them directly from the back of his truck. This humble enterprise marked the beginning of Armaly Sponge Company in the United States.
In 1926, both Ford Motor Company and S.S. Kresge Company joined the company’s growing list of customers. John and Henry Ford, who called John Armaly “Spongy,” often traded bales of natural sponges for cars at Ford's Highland Park plant. Armaly also befriended the dime store scion Sebastian S. Kresge, regularly lunching with him at the local hamburger grill. As Kresge was notoriously frugal, he often scolded Armaly for additional food expenditures. “Why spend an extra penny for a slice of cheese?” In addition to the businessmen’s personal friendship, the two companies forged a fine working relationship. During the depression, Armaly Sponge accepted K-Script, Kresge’s own special currency, as payment for Armaly products shipped to Kresge stores. In turn, Armaly’s employees received the script as part of their pay and then shopped at Kresge stores, paying with K-Script. When World War II hit, the sponges found new life as filters on submarines.
After the war, Red Tide in the Caribbean demolished natural sponge beds; at the same time, other companies introduced cellulose synthetic sponges. In the early 1970s, more Armaly family members joined the team and the company expanded. Over a short time, the company’s direction grew rapidly. Under the trade name, Armaly Brands, and with the purchase of a supplier’s plant, several new products were created. Such a speedy expansion required several moves, culminating in 1983 with a move to Walled Lake, Michigan, where the company remains today.
Today Armaly Brands is the largest and only vertical manufacturer of polyester-based sponges in the United States. Why do people buy Armaly Sponge Products? Simple. In the words of W.J.'s grandson, John Armaly, Jr., who is president of Armaly Brands, “They do what they’re supposed to do – clean.”
Estracell®, Armaly’s household brand of sponges, used in both residential and commercial settings, does just that. Independent test results demonstrate that bacteria will not feed and survive on the sponge fibers of Estracell sponge material – naturally. Additionally, its unique cell structure both rinses cleaner and dries out faster, eliminating the perfect breeding condition for bacteria and fungal growth. These qualities make Estracell more sanitary and meet today’s increasing demands for food safety.
“Our television advertising campaign is providing awareness of the quality and fulfillment of the consumer’s need for Estracell, and growing distribution is satisfying their demand,” Armaly adds. “They wipe, they rinse and they clean.” Obviously, household chores will never be an eagerly anticipated activity, but Estracell products make them sanitary, efficient, and, best of all, easy to use.
Armaly’s knowledge of sponges is not limited to household cleaning. The Armaly™ and AutoShow® Brand of car care sponges represents over 50% of the driveway wash business in the United States. In addition, another market has emerged in recent years. Today, home-design aficionados, or “Do-It-Yourself-ers,” are fans of Armaly ProPlus® Brand Faux Finish sponges, which have become popular tools for aspiring home decorators and contractors. Similarly, painting and wallpaper contractors, along with DIYers, have long relied on the Armaly ProPlus Brand of sponge products for quality preparation and finishing. This segment continues to grow, according to Armaly.
For Armaly, the centennial alone is enormously meaningful, but this particular anniversary represents even more. “Of course, we are very proud of our accomplishments,” he says. “However, our sense of responsibility of managing our success as a U.S. manufacturer is much more far-reaching. It extends throughout our country to our fellow citizens and associates, as well as to those that have come before us. That is our ultimate measure of pride.”
Though it is a century later, the Armaly family’s name is still on the package. “Our brands have a loyal consumer base across the USA and other countries,” Armaly says. “They know when the Armaly logo is on the package, the product will do what it’s supposed to do.” Through the years, the company’s focus has remained consistent. “The challenges of business today are the same as they were 100 years ago,” Armaly continues. “Our goal will not change, and that is to provide the end user of our products with value and quality.”
About Armaly Brands Company:
Headquartered in Walled Lake, Mich., privately-held Armaly Brands (www.armalybrands.com) has a long history of innovation in sponge technology, including the introduction of Armaly ProPlus® polyester sponges and Estracell® more sanitary sponges in the 1960s, the Armaly brand Car, Boat n’ Truck sponge…America’s longest-selling driveway wash sponge in 1972, and the # 1-selling driveway wash sponge AutoShow brand SoftGrip® in the 1990s. 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 and distributors of consumer and commercial-grade sponge and cleaning products