ARMOR AND ITS JAPAN PARTNER PROVIDE RUST REMOVAL HELP TO NON-PROFIT WHEELCHAIRS OF HOPE

Armor Protective Packaging®’s Metal Rescue™ Rust Remover Bath is removing rust and changing lives. With the help of ARMOR partner Masashi Matsumoto of Nippe Trading Company in Japan, Metal Rescue™ is being used to de-rust and refurbish used wheelchairs for distribution to those who need them in locations throughout the world.

ARMOR’s role in this endeavor came about as a result of Jerry Vannorsdel, an avid user of Metal Rescue™ Rust Remover Bath. Jerry reached out to ARMOR with a request for international access and distribution of the company’s Metal Rescue™ to supply to the non-profit organization Wheelchairs of Hope. Wheelchairs of Hope is based in Japan and they work to refurbish used wheelchairs and distribute them to those who need them throughout Asia. When visiting Tokyo, Jerry volunteers with the organization and advises on best practices.

Wheelchairs of Hope founder Mary Penner and her son Daniel

The concept of Wheelchairs of Hope originated when Daniel, a three-year-old American boy living with his family in Yamagata, became ill with a degenerative disease. Daniel needed a wheelchair and while he was able to receive one, his mother Mary Penner learned that 20 million people in the world need wheelchairs. For many, a wheelchair can cost more than their yearly income. With Mary’s efforts and persistence, by 2007 a container of 113 de-rusted and repaired wheelchairs were shipped to Mongolia. Since then, hundreds of refurbished wheelchairs have been distributed in more than 10 different countries.

Jerry introduced Mary and her organization to Metal Rescue™ and with the help of ARMOR’s Japan partner Wheelchairs of Hope was able to obtain product and use it to simplify their wheelchair recycling work. As Mary stated in a thank you letter to ARMOR, “Not only was there a way to save us time so we could get more done, there was a way to keep from sanding our fingertips or scraping them up with the metal brushes we were using to clean the nuts/bolts and screws. Jerry introduced us to your Metal Rescue, and it's an entirely different ball game now. I keep a small jar of that magic liquid in my locker now, and noticed other volunteers have done likewise.”

ARMOR and its partner Masashi Matsumoto of Nippe Trading Company are proud to be a part of the successful efforts of Wheelchairs of Hope who embodies the ARMOR tagline to ‘serve and preserve’ as it relates to wheelchairs and those who need them.

For more information about Wheelchairs of Hope visit their website and for additional information about ARMOR and its products visit the ARMOR website.