Tactical Tailor

Archive for the ‘Made In USA!’ Category

Champion Thread Company Celebrates 45 Years of Industry Service

Sunday, February 4th, 2024

The fast-growing manufacturer of industrial sewing threads, engineered yarns, and other textile and sewn products supplies is celebrating 45 Years of Service to the Textile and Sewn Products Industries.

GASTONIA, NC – January 30, 2024 – Champion Thread Company® (CTC), a leading provider of industrial sewing threads, engineered yarns, and other textile and sewn products accessories, is celebrating 45 Years of Service to the Textile and Sewn Products Industries.

Thanks to a loyal and fast-growing customer base, CTC has expanded from its roots as a small thread distributor into a developer, manufacturer, and marketer of a wide range of products and solutions sold on four continents.

“For 45 years, we have demonstrated unwavering commitment to excellence and dedication to our customers,” said CTC President Matt Poovey. “Since our founding, we have remained family-owned and operated, taking pride in offering the highest quality goods, competitive prices, and unmatched industry expertise. Champion Thread’s longevity in the market can be attributed to our ability to adapt and innovate while always staying true to our core values. Our understanding of the industry has allowed us to consistently deliver superior products that meet the ever-evolving needs of our customers.”

Some of CTC’s significant milestones include:

1979 – Founded by current CEO Bob Poovey

1999 – Moved/expanded corporate office

2007 – Strategic thread manufacturer acquisition

2009 – Started engineered yarn business

2011 – Opened state-of-the-art flexible manufacturing facility

2014 – Expanded and opened current HQ location

2016 – Matt Poovey promoted to President

2018 – Opened new warehouse/distribution facility

2019 – Celebrated 40 years of industry service

2020 – Jim Lee promoted to Vice President of Sales

2021 – Launched Renu™ line of 100% recycled thread

2023 – Opened new South Carolina dyehouse

2024 – Celebrating 45 years in business

The company recently reported “steady” growth in market share in 2023, primarily the result of the company’s multi-year initiatives to bolster lean, flexible manufacturing operations and investments in the domestic workforce and supply chain. They also expressed optimism for increased market demand for their products and plans for continued investment in new product development, production and service teams, and customer service levels in 2024.

To learn more about CTC, phone (704) 867-6611 or visit championthread.com.

DSEI 23 – StalkLand Camo by Sniper Dynamics

Tuesday, September 19th, 2023

It always cool to run across small US companies while attending European trade shows. Take for instance Sniper Dynamics which exhibited in the Pacific Northwest booth in the US pavilion.

I had first learned of their StalkLand camouflage pattern during Rampart Range Day from Tactical Concealment who was showing the new pattern. Unfortunately, at the time, they didn’t yet have permission to share it publicly.

However during DSEI, Sniper Dynamics had their StalkLand series pattern in full display with prototype uniforms made by Beyond Clothing and individual equipment from a variety of vendors.

Designed by Army and Marine snipers, the pattern hides the wearer with negative space which can be described as the space around and between the subject(s) of an image. Examples of negative space in nature include grasses, leaves, and twigs.

The base pattern itself blends with unobtrusive terrain contained within the negative space, providing what they refer to as Multi-Environment Ready Concealment (M.E.R.C.).

Developed over the past seven years, this family of patterns is available as Berry Compliant textiles in the form of Brookwood printed 500D Cordura for Armor kit & pouches as well 50/50 NyCo & 57/43 NyCo Extreme IHWCU for uniforms as well as jacquard webbing from Murdoch Webbing. They also offer transfer film from TWN Water Transfer Printing.

www.stalkland.com

Dynamis Alliance – Neptune Dive Blade

Saturday, May 27th, 2023

The long anticipated Neptune Dive Blade is now available from Dynamis Alliance. Created by former Navy SEAL Dom Raso and manufactured in the USA, the Neptune is the culmination of over 11 years of meticulous research, development, and invaluable real-world operational experience. It features a CPM-S110V full tang blade which is coated with their proprietary NEPT-X a durable, corrosion-resistant finish capable of withstanding the harshest aquatic conditions.

With several sheath options, the retention system features triple retention, whether you are on land or sea and is designed to be attached directly to your BC or a MOLLE platform.

Not your average dive tool, the Neptune features a spear point with serrations down one edge and a line cutter notch on the other.

Additionally, the scale grip system can be removed for maintenance and incorporates a lanyard loop.

crusheverything.com/introducing-the-neptune-blade

Amabilis – BlackOut Jacket

Thursday, February 23rd, 2023

100% Made In The USA, the BlackOut Jacket is Amabilis Gear’s latest creation. This fleece jacket combines Polartec Thermal Pro fleece with a patented Hardface treatment which enhances durability and prohibits pilling.

Look for 5 pockets: 3 outside zippered + 2 inside cargo and 2 ea 4 x 4″ Velcro shoulder patches.

Offered in Black, sizes Small – 3XL.

amabilisgear.com/collections/apparel/products/black-out-jacket

Microelectronics Commons Prototype Giving Much Needed Boost to American Microelectronics Industrial Base

Thursday, January 26th, 2023

January 23, 2023 – The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) has proposed a prototype project to close the gap between microelectronics innovation and market adoption. The prototype project- Microelectronics Commons – will enable lab-to-fab prototyping– that is, evolve microelectronics laboratory prototyping to fabrication prototyping – in domestic facilities.

Currently, over 85% of microelectronics used in the United States are fabricated outside the U.S. Due to the complexity and market value of today’s integrated microelectronic systems and the lack of adequate on-shore prototyping in which intellectual property (IP) can be protected, there is an urgent need to establish a network of domestic prototyping facilities to demonstrate, at-scale, the system-level benefits of innovations in microelectronics materials, processes, devices, and architectural designs. Demonstrating at-scale commercial viability is the missing requirement to close the gap between laboratory innovations and marketplace adoption. The Department of Defense recognizes the security vulnerabilities of off-shored microelectronics and has made it a top priority to expand our domestic microelectronics infrastructure through the Microelectronics Commons prototype.

“In the face of intense competition globally in the microelectronics landscape, a rapid transition from lab-to-fab is imperative to get ahead of the competition,” stated Dr. Dev Shenoy, Principal Director, Microelectronics, OUSD(R&E) and Director of the Defense Microelectronics Cross Functional Team (DMCFT) during the Microelectronics Commons Industry Days in Washington DC on Dec. 7 – 8. “We want to expedite the lab-to-fab prototyping as well as closely couple the R&D innovation with the manufacturing.”

Microelectronics Commons is a CHIPS and Science Act-funded national network for onshore, microelectronics hardware prototyping, lab-to-fab transition of semiconductor technologies and semiconductor workforce training. The goal of Microelectronics Commons is inaugurating a national network of regional innovation hubs distributed across the U.S. to advance microelectronics prototypes across six critical technology areas. These technology areas are Secure Edge Computing/Internet of Things (IoT), Quantum Technology, 5G/6G Technology, Electromagnetic Warfare, Artificial Intelligence Hardware, and Commercial Leap Ahead Technologies.

“Having regional hubs prioritizing one or more technical areas would facilitate the connections required to nurture and grow regional lab-to-fab capabilities,” stated Doug Crowe, NSTXL’s Strategic & Spectrum Missions Advanced Resilient Trusted Systems (S²MARTS) Director, “there is currently a steep drop-off between innovative prototype ideas and the maturation of those technologies that are required to eventually lead to the marketplace.”

Prototyping capabilities for these six technology areas will be supported with initial projects that meet national security and commercial needs. These projects will also serve to partially offset prototyping facility operation and sustainment costs while the hubs fully mature their user-base and execute their access models. One of the goals of Microelectronics Commons is for the technology hubs distributed throughout the regional U.S. become self-sustaining innovation nodes in their core technology areas while leveraging regional strengths to address DoD and commercial needs.

“Fostering the pipeline of microelectronics talent will bolster the microelectronics economies across the U.S.” stated Dr. Shenoy, “the ecosystem that the Microelectronics Commons is going to set up is going to sustain this manufacturing base going forward.”

The Microelectronics Commons is a first-of-its-kind opportunity and is the first major program to erect from the CHIPS and Science Act.

“The Department of Defense is the first agency to move forward with funding from CHIPS,” highlighted Senator Todd Young during his address to industry at the Microelectronics Industry Day event, “[Microelectronics Commons] will maintain and grow our nation’s capabilities to produce the next-generation of semiconductor technology right here at home.”

The Microelectronic Commons Other Transaction Authority (OTA) prototype Request for Solutions (RFS) was released through S²MARTS, managed by NSTXL. To promote this RFS and expand the opportunity to universities, small businesses, and non-traditional defense contractors, S²MARTS consortium led and moderated a Microelectronics Awareness Day that resulted in over 800 industry participants. S²MARTS also hosted Microelectronics Commons Industry Days in Washington D.C. on December 7 – 8, 2022, and is also hosting Capabilities Pitch days for each technology area from January 9-20, 2023. These events encourage all defense contractors, non-traditional defense contractors, small businesses, and universities to participate to showcase their capabilities in one or more of the six technical areas within the RFS.

Speaking during the Microelectronics Commons Industry Days, White House Coordinator for CHIPS Implementation Dr. Ronnie Chatterji said, “We are going to build on the capabilities we already have to reach greater heights.” Encouraging widespread participation in this opportunity, Dr. Chatterji also emphasized “Working together is how we got a man on the moon in 1969 and working together is how we are going to achieve these American dreams on research and development.” 

The Microelectronics Commons project is expected to be executed within a 60-month period. All the advancements derived in the six technology areas will be dual-use technology, benefiting the DoD and commercial sectors, as well as create a resilient microelectronics supply chain in the U.S.

“Semiconductors underpin our economic and national security, and they support our Warfighter,” said Senator Todd Young. “We have communicated to the world that we are going to lead in the next era of chip innovation.”

The Microelectronics Commons project solutions are due February 28, 2023 and the official RFS can be accessed here: nstxl.org/opportunity/microelectronics-me-commons.

SHOT Show 23 – Grey Ghost Announces OEM Services

Tuesday, January 24th, 2023

Grey Ghost Gear and Grey Ghost Precision have announced that they offer OEM services for both soft and hard goods.

Whether you need nylon goods are firearms and accessories, give them a shout.

SHOT Show 23 – XGO Lightweight Assaulter Shirt

Friday, January 20th, 2023

Made from FR Phase 1 which is one of the lightest most durable FR fabrics on the market, the ling sleeved Lightweight Assaulter Shirt joins the short sleeved version already on the market.

The fabric also features Acclimate Dry Moisture Management to wick sweat away from the body and dry rapidly as well as AG47 Silver Anti-Microbial to fight and eliminate harmful bacteria from your sweat, leaving you odor free.

www.proxgo.com

Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition Applauds Final Passage of the Homeland Procurement Reform (HOPR) Act

Wednesday, January 11th, 2023

New Law Will Help Ensure Domestically Manufactured Uniforms and Equipment are provided to Department of Homeland Security Operational Personnel

MARBLEHEAD, Mass., Jan. 09, 2023 — The Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition (WPRC) commends the inclusion of the “Homeland Procurement Reform Act” in the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, recently signed into law by President Joseph Biden. The HOPR Act is the culmination of several years of WPRC advocacy on behalf of the domestic industrial base and American companies that provide 100% made-in- America uniforms, footwear and protective equipment to the Federal government.

This critical, bi-partisan legislation ensures that the operational units within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) including Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), U.S. Secret Service, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) procure uniforms and equipment manufactured in the United States. Currently, many DHS agencies purchase uniforms and equipment manufactured in foreign countries that lack supply chain dependability and secure protocols for handling sensitive uniform items. The HOPR Act sets a new precedent to ensure that uniforms, footwear, body armor and equipment for DHS frontline personnel are built in the United States, supporting the industrial base and ensuring supply chain security.

On behalf of their 60+ member companies, the WPRC extends appreciation to primary sponsors Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD), Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA), and Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) as well as co-sponsors Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS), Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH), and Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA). HOPR sponsors ensured that this critical legislation was maintained in the FY23 National Defense Authorization Act, and that DHS begins to move towards domestic sources of supply to meet current and future homeland security challenges.

The new law establishes specific criteria that increases the ability of DHS to obtain high-quality, American-made personal protective equipment (PPE) and organizational clothing and individual equipment (OCIE). The HOPR Act builds upon procurement laws such as the Berry Amendment and the Kissell Amendment by expanding opportunities for American manufacturers that meet specific, domestic manufacturing criteria.

WPRC Executive Director David Costello said, “Department of Homeland Security personnel as well as the American public owe a debt of gratitude to the members of Congress who have championed this important legislation. Thanks to their leadership, uniforms, armor, footwear and protective equipment needed by DHS personnel will be supplied by high-quality American sources, improving the quality and performance of this category of products while supporting American jobs. The WPRC looks forward to working with the DHS and the White House to encourage the rapid implementation of this domestic procurement policy.”