What’s Our Story?

Hi, we are brothers Grant and Dane Read!

After years of off-roading in the harsh African bush around Southern Africa, we have gained a tremendous amount of experience in cleaning and polishing our 4x4s. At first we didn’t mind bashing up the old cruiser and Hilux but the time eventually came (after years of saving) that we were able to buy new trucks and the thought of scratching it against an acacia or thorn scrub really hurt.

Fortunately, we also had experience in the vehicle graphics field and enlisted the expert help of our other partner Darryl Curtis to come up with a solution to protect the vehicles paint. We went down the road of vehicle protection films and they did a reasonably good job but after a year or so they began to change colour and it was expensive. Then we tried to remove it, and even after years’ experience in vinyl and vehicle graphics it was a real mission.

We then opted to use cheap vinyl to “wrap” the exposed areas on the vehicles, just to give a little protection and it helped, but it was a schlep to do that each time before a trip and a hassle to remove afterwards. It then dawned on us that we cannot be the only people having this problem. How many enthusiasts also want to protect their paint on the prized 4x4 or SUV when going into the bush.?

And so, the research began, and the development or Pangolin Offroad Armor started. We wanted a solution that was easy to install and remove, it also had to be cost effective, and it had to look good. We wanted a product that would protect our paint so that one day when we wanted to up grade our vehicle and buy the latest model we could sell our vehicles without having to go and re-spray them or lose a lot of money in the sale.

So, we researched and developed a premium magnetic sheet with manufactures in the US to do the job. We also developed a specialized heavy-duty polycarbonate film that gives added protection and so Pangolin Offroad Armor was born. We know it is a bit of a mouthful, but we wanted a name that clearly explains the product as well as giving Africa its due because without this beautiful continent where would we be?