Our Story
The eternal optimist in the face of adversity, entrepreneur and founder of AA Anchor Bolt, Inc., Pauline Horton, was a true pioneer as one of the first woman in the Fastener Industry. Robert P. Horton (Bob Sr.) was an Iron Worker working for a steel fabricator that had an anchor bolt division that they chose to close. Bob Sr. saw the potential in the industry and presented Pauline with the idea to start her own business. Bob Sr. approached the business owner seeking to purchase the businesses phone number after the business closed. Pauline quit her job as a bus driver for the South Lyon, MI, school district in 1979 and established the family business. Together Bob Sr. and Pauline built the business from the ground up, determined to make it a success. Pauline didn’t take a paycheck for the first two years, investing everything back into the business. They took special care in everything they did from naming the business so that it would be first in the “phone book” as AA Anchor Bolt, Inc. to building good relationships, honoring their word, and always keeping in mind that the publics opinion is the leader.
From humble beginnings to a thriving business, it all began as a family operated enterprise in the garage of their family home. They used the hydraulics on a Ford 2000 Tractor to bend anchor bolts in the beginning. Pauline ran bolts, was the bookkeeper, coordinated material pickups and deliveries, and was a wife and mother of three children. Bob Sr. a Local 25, Iron Worker, by day and an AA Anchor Bolt partner by night; made customer deliveries and picked up material at night. Bob Sr. drove a homemade delivery truck made from an old rusted out 1974 F100 that had no heat and rusted out floorboards to deliver material to customers. Delivering finished product to customers in as little as 3-4 days, which was unheard of at the time. This set the business apart from others in the industry. Today we can often provide same-day service but where possible, we try to stick to the 3-4-day turnaround that was established all those years ago. Bob Sr. also borrowed an old bus that had been converted into a truck, from a local businessman, to pick up steel and other material needed for the business. Until the business could establish a good working relationship with steel suppliers and other vendors, everything was paid for in terms of cash on delivery.
The Horton children helped work the business after school and on Saturdays. Robert M (Bob) was a young boy having to sacrifice watching his favorite cartoon, He-Man, to help drag in steel bars, run anchor bolts, and learning to do various things such as weld and driving a hi-lo at a young age. The two daughters, Christine, and Kellie, both helped run anchor bolts and doing whatever it took to help get the jobs done then later working in the office doing sales and bookkeeping. Over the years many family members have gotten their start at AA Anchor Bolt, Inc. All of Pauline and Bob Sr’s. children and grandchildren have worked at the business.
From the garage they moved into the building where they are located today in 1986. The building was 3200 sq. ft. which comprised of 2400 sq. ft. of shop space. They later added on taking the building to 12800 sq. ft. in 1997.
Pauline was a savvy, tenacious, hardworking businesswoman who made her mark in an industry of all men. AA Anchor Bolt, Inc was at one point not only woman owned, but ran entirely by a female crew. Pauline learned the business and trade secrets by fostering good relationships with those in the field and with her employees. She worked until shortly before her death in 2015. She had a genius connection with her customers where her motto lives on through the efforts of her family-owned and operated business: “Impossibilities – We do immediately; Miracles – Take a little longer.”
Pauline was a philanthropist often anonymously helping needy families in her community, sponsoring local athletic teams, events, charitable events, and causes. AA Anchor Bolt Inc. continues to support the community and causes such as The Children’s Miracle Network, Bowl for Burns, I Will Right Now, Fund a Life, and Fore the Kids Golf Outing, Etc.
Bob came up in his father’s footsteps as a Local 25, Iron Worker until he joined the family business again in 1995, later partnering with his parents as a co-owner. Bob, much like his mother and father, is driven by his business acumen and philosophies and coupled with his ingenuity, continues to drive the business forward. He is often referred to as “Dr. Landis”
