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Archive for the ‘Industry’ Category

Patagonia Founder Yvon Chouinard Donates Patagonia to Environmental Trust

Thursday, September 15th, 2022

If you were scratching your head when Patagonia sold off its military contract sewing division named Forgeline Solutions earlier this year, then this latest move by founder Yvon Chouinard will help connect some dots.

Billionaire Chouinard has given up the whole kit and caboodle, announcing that Patagonia is restructuring and will be managed by two new entities. The first is Patagonia Purpose Trust, which will own all of Patagonia’s voting stock. The second is Holdfast Collective, a nonprofit which oversees Patagonia’s environmental activism. 100% of any profit not reinvested in the business will be turned over to Holdfast Collective, a sum expected to exceed $100 million annually. Holdfast Collective is a 501(c)(4) charity which is allowed to make donations to political causes.

In an online post entitled, “Earth is now our only sharholder” Chouinard spells out his reasoning.

As much as things are changing, much will also remain the same. Patagonia will remain in Ventura, California, CEO Ryan Gellert gets to keep his job and the Chouinard family will remain on the board as well as heavily involved in the charity. In fact, Chouinard along his wife Malinda, and two children, Claire and Fletche had to donate their company shares to Patagonia Purpose Trust.

Something very interesting was pointed out to me about this move. As much as Chouinard has heralded left wing causes over the years, he never offered an employee stock option. If he had, this whole thing would have been impossible.

Photo by Tom Frost

Visit Exo Charge at Ft Benning Maneuver Warfighter Expo

Tuesday, September 13th, 2022

The EXO Charge division of Xentris Wireless will be showcasing its next-generation mission-ready power solutions during the Maneuver Warfighter Conference at McGinnis-Wickham Hall, Fort Benning September 13-15.

Visit the EXO Charge team at booth #89 to learn about the latest developments – featuring:

Small Tactical Universal Battery (STUB): The STUB series features a common mechanical and electrical interface and the latest USB Power Delivery (USB PD) and Programmable Power Supply (PPS) fast charging technology. Created as a family of 8 different capacities/sizes ranging from 15-80W, the STUB series is designed for dependability in harsh operational environments and provides a scalable power supply that can be shared across platforms and devices.

Currently progressing through acceptance testing, the STUB series will help to reduce the Warfighter’s battery burden by improving interoperability at the tactical edge.

Augmented Power Pack (APP): The APP is a fully ruggedized 300Wh power bank that delivers multi-voltage support (5V-20V) and is specifically designed for operational use in austere environments. With the energy capacity of 2 CWBs, the APP can charge multiple devices simultaneously using USB Power Delivery (USB PD) and Programmable Power Supply (PPS) fast charging technology via its two USB Type C ports. The APP also features a standard Nett Warrior connector for additional, legacy-system compatibility and interoperability. Built to be tough, reliable, and easy to use in all conditions, the APP also features an NVG-compatible display screen.

Rugged Auxiliary Charger (RAC): Small, powerful, and rugged, the RAC supports up to 300W total power and equipped with SAE and Nett Warrior connectors, as well as 2 USB-C ports. The RAC can charge multiple devices or batteries simultaneously through the Nett Warrior and USB-C connectors, and/or can be used as a power adapter for the UBC bulk charger. The RAC features USB Power Delivery (PD) and Programmable Power Supply (PPS) on the USB-C ports for fast charging the STUB series of batteries and COTS devices.

Building on the company’s 30+ year track record in the commercial mobile technology industry, Xentris Wireless created the EXO Charge division specifically to address the needs of next-generation portable power solutions for military applications.

Visit the EXO Charge booth at the Fort Benning Maneuver Warfighter Conference to find out more, and also follow EXO Charge online and on FacebookInstagram, and LinkedIn to keep up to date on the latest news, views, and developments.

Nite Ize Partners with Leading Outdoor Brands Expanding Reach of Proprietary Thru Zip Technology, First Toothless, Dustproof Waterproof Zipper

Saturday, September 10th, 2022

Nite Ize, a manufacturer of solution-based products, announced its partnership with six outdoor brands that use its patented Tru Zip zipper—a toothless, dustproof, waterproof zipper—including Simms Fishing, Hydro Flask, Fishpond, CamelBak, Booe, and & Adventure Medical Kits.

“TRU Zip technology enables us to provide a first-of-its-kind solution across a variety of outdoor activities from hunting and fishing, to travel and watersports and beyond,” said Rick Case, CEO and founder, Nite Ize. “Tru Zip empowers brands to innovate in their product category enabling products to be built that could never be built before. We are proud to collaborate with these legacy brands enabling consumers to have next-generation performance in the outdoors.”

Launched in 2019, the Tru Zip design is snag-proof and can easily open and close. Tested to IP67, TRU Zip has maximum reliability to withstand immersion underwater of up to 1m deep for up to 30 minutes.

For more product information, go here.

Services Charity Veterans With Dogs introduces Assistance Dog “Ferris” to the Defence Industry at DVD

Friday, September 9th, 2022

The services charity Veterans With Dogs is introducing their example assistance dog “Ferris” to the UK defence industry at the DVD 2022 Exhibition, taking place at Millbrook, 21/22 September. Ferris will be joined by his Army veteran owner, Bryan Maddams – himself a seasoned member of the defence industry having worked for General Dynamics, and Ultra Electronics on some major programmes such as Ajax, Warrior CSP and CR2 LEP. Bryan and Ferris are attending DVD to raise awareness of Veterans With Dogs across the industry with the aim of generating support and funds, through donations.

Veterans With Dogs is the UK’s leading organisation that trains and provides assistance dogs exclusively for current and former British Armed Forces service personnel diagnosed with a mental health condition, including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder – a prevalent condition in post-Afghanistan veterans. The charity uses a unique PALS (Partner Animals Life Skills) training programme which combines home support and residential courses, with annual assessments thereafter to maintain the fully accredited assistance dog status. The dogs that undergo this training are always ‘on shift’, providing the veteran with 24/7, 365 days of assistance. They not only change the lives of the veterans – in some cases, they save them too.

At the DVD event, Veterans With Dogs is being supported by the defence industry focussed PR company, Chamois. Chamois are providing PR support to the charity, free of charge. The Chamois team will be helping Bryan and Ferris achieve maximum exposure throughout the event using their media contacts and through a targeted social media campaign.

Bryan Maddams, a volunteer Fundraiser for Veterans With Dogs said: “Ferris and I are very much looking forward to attending DVD. We’ll be on the ground for both event days meeting as many people as possible with the aim of raising awareness of and support for our charity. I’m also looking forward to seeing many of my own industry contacts as we walk around together”.

Jamie Clarke, CEO at Chamois said: “I’m delighted to be helping Bryan, Ferris and Veterans With Dogs at DVD this year. As a veteran and a dog owner myself, I can associate with this charity and having spent time understanding more about what they do, I believe it’s a charity that deserves support from across our fantastic UK defence industry. The work we’re doing will hopefully assist in generating further support”.

American Rheinmetall Vehicles and Anduril Industries Team to Deliver Data Fusion and Battlefield Awareness for U.S. Army’s Optionally-Manned Fighting Vehicle

Tuesday, September 6th, 2022

American Rheinmetall Vehicles and Anduril Industries Team to Deliver Data Fusion and Battlefield Awareness for U.S. Army’s Optionally-Manned Fighting Vehicle
American Rheinmetall Vehicles (Sterling Heights, MI), a leading developer of tactical wheeled and tracked combat vehicles and systems has formed a strategic partnership with Anduril Industries, a defense technology company, in pursuit of the U.S. Army’s Optionally-Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) program.

American Rheinmetall Vehicles has built an elite U.S. industry team that consists of numerous leading U.S. defense companies including, Textron Systems, Raytheon Technologies, L3Harris Technologies and Allison Transmission, who are collectively known as “Team Lynx.” Anduril, the newest member of the team, brings its deep experience in software development, mission autonomy, systems integration, and command and control; developed and deployed in support of National Defense priorities. American Rheinmetall Vehicles leads Team Lynx in offering the Army a next-generation infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) solution for the OMFV program that features a mature, game-changing platform with a purposeful, future-proof modular design that ensures not just overmatch today, but overmatch for decades to come.

“The partnership with Anduril brings with it exceptional innovations in software development, command and control, sensor integration, and counter UAS systems for inclusion in our OMFV offering. These additional technologies coupled with our existing Teammates respective strengths provide Soldiers capabilities not available anywhere else in the world. Further, Anduril’s innovative technologies and focus on customer requirements make it a superb partner to join Team Lynx in support of our work to deliver an unmatched, transformational IFV to the Army for the OMFV program,” said Matt Warnick, Managing Director at American Rheinmetall Vehicles.

“Software is at the core of the weapons and military systems of the future,” said Zach Mears, Head of Strategy, Anduril. “Anduril specializes in delivering advanced mission autonomy, enabling commanders and battle managers to command and control more lethal capability at the tactical edge. We are thrilled to join Team Lynx and will leverage our deep experience in artificial intelligence, mission autonomy, and sensor integration to significantly reduce the cognitive burden of the OMFV’s two soldier crew and provide them with next-generation tactical awareness, C2, and decisive lethality to dominate future battlefields.”

Anduril will support Team Lynx with customized command and control software for Lynx OMFV formations that enables collaborative formation maneuver, and collaborative detection, targeting, and engagement of threats for future armored combat formations. Anduril’s software, in alignment with Army IDEE software development process will have an agile based development and improvement plan, integration, and delivery cycles, enabling persistent modernization for IFVs to rapidly adapt to and defeat emerging time-sensitive threats. The Team’s solution, the Lynx OMFV, redefines the modern battlefield and enables the Army to satisfy its number two modernization priority, a next-generation combat vehicle with leading protection, mobility, growth, and lethality capabilities that will sustain overmatch for decades. The Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA), along with substantial growth potential in power, weight, and volume make the Lynx OMFV exceptionally well prepared to confront the challenges of the future battlefield like no other.

www.rheinmetall.com/arv

Jankel’s LTTV Production Programme Changes Up a Gear

Friday, September 2nd, 2022

199 British designed and built tactical vehicles based on the Mercedes Benz UNIMOG vehicles to the Belgian Ministry of Defence (BeMOD). Jankel’s LTTV can be viewed at the DVD exhibition at Millbrook, 21-22 September.

In September 2021, Jankel announced the establishment of a new production capability in the UK and in November 2021 it was announced that the programme had passed Preliminary Technical Acceptance (PTA) and had formally entered production. Following a period of LRIP (Low-Rate Initial Production) that coincided with COVID working restrictions, recently, the programme has been gathering pace with vehicle 25 entering production in August. From September onwards, the production rate accelerates further with the delivery of all 199 vehicles set for completion in 2023.

First unveiled at DSEi in September 2019 and also displayed at DSEi in September 2021, Jankel’s LTTV is designed to provide a modular and configurable tactical support vehicle that benefits from unique, removable mission modules that enable the vehicle to be re-roled rapidly for operational platform versatility. The LTTV has 3 core variants for Special Operations support, including an ambulance variant. Alongside a user-configurable, fully integrated suite of military sub-systems that includes a removable ballistic protection kit, a Roll-Over-Protection-System (ROPS), weapon mounts and communications fit, the platform will provide full interoperability with the Fox fleet of tactical vehicles.

Richard Semmens, Operations Director at Jankel said: “I’m very proud indeed of our team and our UK-based supply chain for working so hard to get our LTTV programme where it is today with vehicles coming off the production line at increasing frequency and being delivered to our BeMOD customer.

Andrew Jankel, Chairman at Jankel said: Like anyone else in manufacturing (defence or otherwise) will know, there have been some challenges to face through BREXIT, COVID-19 and the Ukraine conflict. Right through that period, here at Jankel we’ve continued to deliver and to export some great UK products and services including our LTTV programme. Indeed, we’re one of a very few UK defence manufacturers that has been continuously delivering and exporting throughout this turbulent period”. He added: “I’d like to thank everyone who has worked with us so closely to help us succeed during this testing period including our suppliers and importantly, our customers. I’ll be the first person to say it’s not been easy but I’m also happy to say we’re succeeding. I’d particularly like to thank our suppliers for their patience, support and agility and I look forward to delivering the rest of the LTTV programme in the coming months.”.

Final Call to Purchase Never Released Sitka Arrowhead Products

Thursday, September 1st, 2022

Now is your opportunity to own a piece of never released SITKA Arrowhead product, as the brands extensive final inventory is to be sold off via kred.

Originally introduced to the defense market in May of 2021; under the umbrella of well-known premium hunting brand SITKA Gear, Arrowhead Equipment focused on developing and manufacturing purpose-built technical products for the Global Special Operations Forces end-use.

Drawing on SITKA Gear’s proven designs and manufacturing to develop and create a line of premium technical apparel that can be trusted to withstand and perform in the harshest environments.

For a limited time, the final extensive product inventory, which also includes some never released products and colorways including Ranger Green, can be purchased exclusively via kred.

Items available consist of 3-layer Gore-Tex Wet Weather Protective solutions, performance fleece and active insulation midlayers, baselayers and everyday carry and accessories which will feature ghosted bags & backpacks as well as multicam hats. Your opportunity to own a piece of this premium brand is available while stock lasts, and some items are already in selling through fast.

For further information:

Greg Love – greg@kredlife.com – 865.617.1927

Jonathan Dry – jonathan@kredlife.com – 865.896.9486

XS Sights Partners with EasyExport to Expand International Sales

Wednesday, August 31st, 2022

Fort Worth, Texas (August 30, 2022) – XS® Sights, manufacturer of the fastest sights in any light, is pleased to announce its partnership with EasyExport to expand international sales.  The EasyExport platform simplifies the fulfilment of international orders to consumers, dealers, law enforcement and other lawful buyers worldwide, and offers these customers XS’s reliable products that aren’t readily available to them in their own countries. 

“We are excited to partner with EasyExport given their rapidly growing network of international buyers and system that ensures the legal sale and reliable, affordable shipment of products to law-abiding firearms owners throughout the world,” said Addison Monroe, Marketing Manager, XS Sights.

The majority of XS Sights’ products are available for sale after signing up for user verification through EasyExport which can be accessed via the XS Sights website International Orders (xssights.com).  Currently, XS can ship to dealers in 82 countries and individuals in 25 countries.

For more information on XS Sights products for pistols, rifles and shotguns, visit www.xssights.com.