With 10 million yuan in capital, much of it provided by his parents, Zhang set up his own pipe coating business in 2002.

FORBES: Add Oil! Chinese Drill-Pipe Maker Ventures Into The Middle East

The company said its coating can hold up against use in heavy rain or a surprise dunking.

CNN: Waterproof phones and tablets make a splash

It was through his involvement in setting up the first drill pipe coating production line sourced from the U.S. that a business opportunity began to emerge.

FORBES: Add Oil! Chinese Drill-Pipe Maker Ventures Into The Middle East

The micro-USB port, also found along the left edge, is uncovered, but Motorola had the foresight to bathe both the surface and internal circuitry in a water-resistant coating, which should stand up to the wet weather conditions many Europeans will face heading into winter.

ENGADGET: Motorola RAZR i review: how does the Droid RAZR M fare with a 2GHz Intel processor inside?

Another significant player in the coating and paint industries, the Sherwin-Williams Company, is up 14.7% this calendar year.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Despite sharing some aesthetic similarities with the former gadget -- like a dotted LED display, USB clasp and soft-touch rubber coating -- LG's model has a few more tricks up its sleeve.

ENGADGET: LG's Smart Activity Tracker wields a swipeable touchscreen and smart TV apps, we go hands-on (video)