The Malco Story

Written By: Louis Vernon, CD-SV, RIT, Malco Products, Inc., International Sales Director

Malco® Automotive is a premier brand of professional-grade automotive detailing products with sales in over 70 countries worldwide.

Malco® Automotive is a Malco Products, Inc. brand and part of an expansive product portfolio that has served the automotive, marine, industrial, and consumer cleaning products markets since 1953.

Located in Barberton, Ohio, Malco is a fourth-generation family-owned and operated business with three EPA-registered manufacturing facilities and more than 320 employees. We operate three state-of-the-art quality assurance labs and have broad manufacturing capabilities, including liquid and power-based chemicals. As a contract packaging partner to 10 of the world’s largest consumer packaged goods companies, Malco takes consumer manufacturing best practices and applies them to our proprietary automotive products production. Through an emphasis on continuous improvement, quality, service, and value, Malco aims to be “Our Customers’ Best Partner.”

As a specialty chemical manufacturer, Malco develops and owns the formulas to our automotive detailing products. When Malco launched its first interior cleaning product, Leather and Plastic Cleaner, in 1955, we had no idea it would still be a top-selling product formula almost 70 years later.

Today, Malco Automotive’s product portfolio consists of over 150 products to detail a vehicle from the inside to the outside. With 150 products, new customers often ask, “What products should I start with”? That answer is simple. The Malco Automotive Top 20 Products are what keep people coming back decade after decade.

Malco’s most popular cleaning product is Red Thunder® Biodegradable Degreaser. This highly concentrated, non-caustic degreaser removes a wide variety of dirt and oils from hard and soft surfaces. The product gets the job done right and fast, then rinses clean, and it is aluminum safe. Red Thunder is a versatile option and can be diluted up to 1:10, depending on the application.

If baked-on brake dust is the issue, professional customers turn to Fast Shot Non-Acid Wheel Cleaner. Fast Shot is a powerful non-acid wheel cleaner that removes brake dust, dirt, and film from coated aluminum and alloy wheels. Fast shot is a powerful product and is for professional use only.

Malco buffing compounds continue to make the Top 20 list year after year and are one of our most sought-after product categories. A tried-and-true choice for detailers that prefer rotary buffing is Tru-Grit® Heavy-Duty Compound. Tru-Grit is a versatile compound for automotive paint correction and offers the broadest buffing capabilities. It will remove P1000, and finer sand scratches from fully cured or new high-solid and standard clears. It is also the best choice for removing heavy oxidation, neglected environmental damage, and difficult paint defects.

Our EPIC® Paint Correction System is the way to go if a customer prefers to use a dual-action orbital buffer. The EPIC Paint Correction System combines the ease of the dual-action orbital polisher with the quality of one-step buffing and polishing compounds. Designed with diminishing abrasives, EPIC® buffing compounds cut and polish in a single application leaving behind a deep gloss finish. Because the Epic System includes a heavy- and medium-duty compound and finishing polish, the detailer can select the product that fits their buffing needs.

In terms of paint protection, two products make the Top 20 list year after year, Nano Care Banana Crème Wax and Cherry Flash. Nano Care Banana Crème Wax offers a pleasant banana scent and is a unique blend of silicones and dual UV inhibitors that delivers up to nine months of UV protection and a deep gloss finish. Cherry Flash is a tried-and-true liquified paste wax formulated with premium natural Carnauba wax that delivers two-three months of durability and a deep gloss finish with a pleasing cherry scent.

New to the Top 20 is EPIC® PRO Ceramic Coating. Launched in early 2022, EPIC PRO has quickly become a customer favorite for its ease of installation, superior glass-like finish, and three-year or 36,000-mile warranty.

No matter what the detailing need, Malco Automotive has a product to fit your needs. From exterior and interior cleaning to paint correction and protection, Malco Automotive is here to provide high-quality products and technical sales support to make recommendations that fit your need and budget.

*This is a paid advertisement posted on behalf of Malco Products, Inc., an IDA Diamond Sponsor. This ad does not constitute an endorsement, guarantee, warranty, or recommendation by the IDA. The IDA makes no representation or warranties about any information contained herein.