Altus Brands was founded in 2007 by three partners who had a vision to bring together small manufacturers into a family of brands to service the hunting and shooting marketplace. Each of the partners brought a unique skill set and a common desire to live the entrepreneurial dream. After 25+ year corporate careers it was time to test themselves. The strategy was simple, buy small cap companies that private equity and larger strategic companies ignored or found too risky to acquire.
We knew that the backbone of innovation was the passionate outdoors person. They had the ideas and the gumption to develop and build the most creative and useful products. What they may have lacked in resources they made up for in determination. At some point all entrepreneurs face the decision to either get big or sell. Not all companies know how to make the leap to get bigger and often great products fade from the scene. Altus Brands was founded with the idea that with the right resources and nurturing these products could have much greater success.
Altus Brands identifies companies in the hunting and shooting marketplace, which manufacture and sell retail products through similar channels of distribution. We have the flexibility and creativity to work with existing owners to develop a plan for partnering or acquisition which will unlock the value of the company. Typically, these plans include additional capitalization, integration and leveraging of established distribution channels, production, and administration.
In 2017 life changes lead each partner to reevaluate their personal situation. We decided to disband the partnership to purse different opportunities. Gary Lemanski bought out his partners, restructured the business and modified the strategy. The hunting brands were sold off to focus on the primary shooting brands. Most of the distribution arrangements were ended.
The strategy was to downsize, focus on shooting accessories, grow organically in hearing protection and shooting platforms and safe storage systems. Gary could now focus on his passion for product development. The owner’s son stepped in to take over the on-line sales and marketing. His wife came on board to take over the office management and accounting. It was his dream of a real family business.
When thinking about how to announce this change in ownership and strategy to the dedicated people who make Altus Brands what it is, we spent a lot of time contemplating exactly what Altus had become over those ten years. We wanted to describe what our products signify and how we as a company conduct ourselves each and every day. We discussed our beliefs and concluded that the following Vision and Guiding Principles are what make us a company:
We PROTECT our customers and their gear, our families, and our business. Our actions and words will inspire others to respond the way we would like them to respond. Known for reliability and durability, in service, product and performance.
The key to success lies in the power of our people. Our conduct will support an environment in which each employee can contribute skills, talents, and ideas to a continuous process of improvement and innovation. Each member of the team is expected to follow these guiding principles:
Be polite. Assume good.
Be honest. Keep commitments.
Follow LEAN principals. Eliminate mistakes and waste.
Be sure your actions and words are designed to give you the results you desire. Aim to inspire others by your attitude, words, and voice.
Work together to achieve our VISION. Volunteer to help wherever you can.
Try new ways, be open to challenge, question things, experiment.
Altus signifies striving to be the best. The ever reaching upward, climbing the peak, summiting the pinnacle. The name symbolizes the intention to build a portfolio of high quality and respected brands-each maintaining their individual brand identity and brand promise.
We try to run Altus Brands the way we try to live our lives. Treat everyone the way we like to be treated, with respect and fairness. Make our products the best we know how, producing what we can in the US and partnering with long-term friends and associates to make those things we cannot. Stand behind what we say and what we make. We are proud to be a veteran owned business and to have worked with law enforcement, military and first responders for more than 25 years.
Finally, we know we are blessed. We want to share this with you, our customers, our friends, and our business associates.
Thank you for your continued support.