The History of Amway

The History of Amway

What does the word Amway mean? Amway is an abbreviation for "American Way" and was coined in 1959 by company founders, Jay Van Andel and Richard DeVos. Short, unique and easy to remember, Amway has been registered as a corporate name and trademark ever since.
In the following decades, Amway Corporation successfully established itself as a leading multilevel marketing business, built on strong values and founding principles that continue to sustain our company today. The business is built on the simple integrity of helping people lead better lives.
Today, Amway is a multibillion-dollar international business representing freedom and opportunity to millions of people in more than 88 countries and territories around the world. Amway generates US $ 9.2 billion (January - December '09) in sales at estimated retail through this global product distribution network. We offer over 3 million Business Owners the inspiration to grow those businesses, and we work hard to provide new and better ways for them to achieve their life goals.

AWARDS

• As a corporate leader in promoting environmental awareness and education, Amway received the prestigious United Nations Environment Programme Achievement Award in 1989.
   
• Corporate Citizenship Award - On November 08, 2005, the United States Chamber of Commerce awarded Alticor with the Corporate Citizenship Award in the category of International Community Service for the One by One Campaign for Children

A SOLID FOUNDATION
Rich DeVos and Jay Van Andel's friendship actually began with a business proposition, when Rich struck a deal with Jay for a ride to school for 25 cents a week. After high school they entered the military, but they planned to start a business together after separate tours of duty. A friendship formed and became a business relationship that has lasted to this day.

THE EARLY YEARS
Amway quickly outgrew its original facilities in the basements of Rich DeVos's and Jay Van Andel's homes. In its first full year of business, Amway's sales were more than half a million dollars.

THE DECADE OF GROWTH
As vowed by Jay Van Andel the night of the 1969 disaster, Amway rebuilt the aerosol plant and went on. The '70s began with sales of more than $100 million at estimated retail, and kept going strong. After a lengthy investigation, the FTC verified that Amway is a genuine business opportunity and not a "pyramid."

THE BILLION-DOLLAR DECADE
The '80s will be remembered for the first Billion Dollar Year at estimated retail in 1980. Building expansion at Amway World Headquarters continued at breakneck speed as Amway scrambled to keep pace with demand, opening its new cosmetics plant in Ada, Michigan.

THE NEXT GENERATION

As carefully planned by Rich and Jay, the second generation Van Andel and DeVos families took the helm during the ' 90s. The Policy Board was formed and Steve Van Andel and Dick DeVos succeeded their fathers as Chairman and President. Distributors witnessed a similar trend, with the second generation of many distributor families taking on important leadership roles., 

NEW HORIZONS
In 2000, Amway prepared for a new century and a new exciting era.
Almost 50 years after Amway began, the DeVos and Van Andel families created a new structure to meet the challenges of this new century. A parent company, Alticor, was established with subsidiaries Amway, Quixtar and Access Business Group—the latter to consolidate manufacturing and distribution for the enterprise. At the helm of Alticor are Steve Van Andel (Chairman) and Doug DeVos (President), jointly holding the Office of the Chief Executive. Today each area of the business, including Amway, has the freedom to build on its strengths.
Amway continues to be a leading company in the direct selling industry. Its fundamental principles—freedom, family, hope and reward—hold as true today as they did in the very beginning.

Founder's Fundamental                                    

Rich DeVos and Jay Van Andel built the Amway business on the following principles, which they and their families believe constitute a sound foundation for a meaningful life.

Freedom
Provides conducive environment in which to live, work, achieve and grow. The Amway business recognizes, supports and expands freedom, which is both personal and economic. It gives the freedom to operate as independent business people and conduct a full-time or part time business.

Family
The family is our primary social structure, providing love, heritage and legacy. The Amway business respects and supports the family, as evidenced by the Amway Board of Directors and the prominence of “family” in Amway business. Amway provides the opportunity to build a family-owned business which can be passed on to generations.

Hope
Hope gives us the power to transform our lives in positive ways. It is a force that allows us to envision dreams, establish goals, and achieve great things. By offering hope, we open windows of possibility for others, irrespective of social status, profession or educational background.

Reward
Reward involves the shared action of giving and receiving. Reward helps us grow, either as the giver or the recipient, and there are many ways we are rewarded. Reward is integral to the Amway business as we help each other grow as people and as entrepreneurs. Hard work is followed by high rewards.

Amway India Factsheet

COUNTRY’S NO 1 DIRECT SELLING COMPANY

• Amway India is the country’s leading direct selling FMCG-company which manufactures and sells world-class consumer products. All its products are covered by a 100 per cent Money Back Guarantee. If not completely satisfied with the product, the consumer can return it for a 100% refund.
• There is no joining fee for the Amway business – any adult can enrol as an Amway distributor, without any payment.

CORPORATE CREDENTIALS

• Amway India is a wholly owned subsidiary of US $ 10.9 billion Amway Corporation, Ada, Michigan, USA. Amway Corporation is one of the largest Direct Selling companies in the world. It has a presence in 80 countries & territories.

• Established in 1995, Amway India commenced commercial operations in May 1998 and has emerged as the largest Direct Selling FMCG Company. The Company has its headquarters in the National Capital Region of India - New Delhi.

• Amway has invested in excess of  Rs. 200 crore in India of this; Rs. 22 crore  is in the form of direct foreign investment.

• Amway India has 500 full time employees and has generated indirect employment for 2000 persons at all the contract manufacturer locations.

• The Company has provided income-generating opportunities to over 550,000 active independent Amway Business Owners.

• Amway India provides free and unlimited training to all its distributors to help them grow their business. Amway India conducts over 20,000 training sessions during an average 12-month period with an attendance of over 1.5 million Amway Business Owners and prospects.

• Amway India recorded a sales turnover of over Rs. 2130 crore in 2011, up from Rs.1790 crores in 2010.

• Amway India is a member of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce (FICCI).

• The World Blind Union presented an award and citation to Amway India in 2003, for its peerless work for the blind child.

NATIONAL PRESENCE

• In thirteen years of commercial operation, Amway India has established a nation-wide presence of over 135 offices and 55 city warehouses and four regional mother warehouses. The distribution and home delivery network set up with the support of independent logistics partners is spread across over 5500 locations.

MANUFACTURING

• Almost all Amway India products are manufactured in the country through seven third party contract manufacturers. To bring the identified contract manufacturers’ production facilities and skills to international standard, Amway has invested in transfer of state-of-the-art, world-class technology to the contract manufacturers free of cost. 

PRODUCTS

• At present, Amway India offers over 130 products in five categories. They are Personal care category, Home Care category, Nutrition & Wellness category, Cosmetics and Great Value Products.

• With the exception of Cosmetics range (Artistry*) and some products in Nutrition and Wellness category, all Amway India products and bottles are manufactured in India.

• The products match Amway’s global quality standards. They carry a tamper-proof seal and a ‘100 per cent Money Back Guarantee'. Amway products are environment friendly, and are not tested on animals. Amway encourages the return of its used product bottles for re-cycling and to prevent their misuse.

PROMOTING FREE ENTERPRISE AND SELF-EMPLOYMENT

• Amway distributors follow a Code of Ethics and Rules of Conduct consistent with the World Federation of Direct Selling Associations (WFDSA), which defines the goals, principles and responsibilities in building and operating an Amway business.
• Amway India is a member of the Indian Direct Selling Association (IDSA). The IDSA is an industry regulatory body, with several reputed international and Indian Direct Selling companies as members.

Our Values

Vision

Inspiring people to live better lives.

Mission

To provide the best business opportunity. To deliver exceptional quality products to urban and semi urban homes in the areas of nutrition and wellness, cosmetics, personal care, home care, home tech and insurance.

Our Values

Amway has established some simple shared values that unite the entire company, and all of the Business Owners that are associated with Amway. We believe that these values guide our actions and help us to achieve everything we are capable of without compromise or harm.

Integrity

We will uphold the highest personal and professional integrity which demonstrates honestly, loyalty, respect and high ethical standards in all our responsibilities, obligations and other activities. We are committed to behave at all times in accordance with the ethical practices of the organization.

Trust

Building reliability and dependability for self by displaying commitment, honesty, confidentiality and consistency in all actions.

Transparency

We will promote a culture of openness and mutual trust by interacting objectively and without underlying personal interests.

Service Orientation

We are committed to serve our customers to fulfill their needs by focusing efforts on discovering and thereby meeting stated and unstated requirements.

Partnership

We will collaborate across boundaries and find common ground by sharing ideas and resources, with a wide range of stakeholders. We will develop networks and build long term alliances with internal and external customers.

Recognition

We are committed to honor, encourage and support individuals and teams who contribute, through their behavior and actions, to the success of the organization.