Industry | Soldier Systems Daily Soldier Systems Daily

Archive for the ‘Industry’ Category

Amer Sports Develops its Brand Portfolio – Divests Suunto to Liesheng

Wednesday, January 12th, 2022

Amer Sports and Liesheng ? a leading Chinese technology company focusing on the smart & sport wearables electronics segment ? have agreed on a transaction in which Amer Sports divests Suunto to Liesheng.

Amer Sports’ strategy is to focus on developing internationally recognized sporting-goods brands within the lifestyle, apparel, and footwear segments, shifting more business to D2C (direct-to-consumer) channels, as well as enhancing its presence in large markets such as China and the US.

“We see tremendous potential with all of our brands. Suunto, as a manufacturer of world-renowned sport watches, dive computers and precision instruments, is not in the core focus of Amer Sports. After a careful review, we have concluded that an owner such as Liesheng, with its foundation in technology and R&D, is desired to unlock the full potential of Suunto. We believe that this transaction is a good fit for all parties,” says Michael Hauge Sørensen, Chief Operating Officer of Amer Sports.

Founded in Guangdong, China in 2015, Liesheng is an innovative global consumer-electronics company with its products being sold in more than 100 countries around the world, and serving tens of millions of users. It is ranked top globally in the wireless audio field and has successfully developed the consumer electronics brand Haylou. Liesheng has also continued to explore consumer healthcare, IOT and big data.

With innovation at its core, Liesheng obtained the national high-tech enterprise certification in China in 2017. It has an extensive R&D team in which some 60% of its employees operate. Liesheng’s annual investment in R&D also far exceeds the industry average.

“The acquisition of Suunto is an important part of our growth strategy, and we see great synergies between the two companies. As a global consumer-electronics company, Liesheng offers Suunto unique technological advantages in product development, centralized sourcing, and access to wider international markets, especially in Asia. For Liesheng, Suunto offers access to new markets and product categories, in addition to Suunto’s strong brand heritage,” says Ma Hao, Chairman of Liesheng.

Liesheng has indicated that Suunto will continue to run its operations from Vantaa, Finland and Suunto’s brand, products, services, business relations and employee statuses will remain unchanged after the transaction.

“Suunto has developed into an iconic global brand in outdoor sports and adventure under the ownership of Amer Sports. I’m excited to start the next phase of our journey and join forces with Liesheng. Our operations complement each other well, with no overlapping products and markets. Having a focused and successful wearables-industry player as Suunto’s owner will help power Suunto’s growth and broaden our shoulders in innovating fit-for-purpose products for outdoor adventures,” says Heikki Norta, CEO and Brand President of Suunto.

The closing of the transaction is subject to authority and other required approvals and fulfillment of certain commercial conditions. The parties have agreed not to disclose the transaction details. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2022.

Rothschild & Co acted as financial advisor and Avance as legal advisor to Amer Sports.

Posted in Industry, Press Release, Watches | 3 Comments »

Introducing HUXWRX Safety Co

Tuesday, January 11th, 2022

It’s official, HUXWRX Safety Co has officially launched. Building on the success of OSS Suppressors, HUXWRX Safety Company is a human exposure workshop dedicated to building products that are optimized for the safety and health of their customers without compromising efficiency or performance.

To explain why this happened, let’s turn to a statement released today by the company:

Signature reduction and user safety have always been at the forefront of our mission. in 2020, OSS began testing our patented flow-through™ suppressors against traditional baffle suppressors for toxic blowback. toxic blowback primarily consists of carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, and ammonia. on average, the amount of toxic gas that was being emitted back at the shooter’s face from a traditional baffle suppressor was 265% higher than with a flow-through™ suppressor.

Furthermore, they remain committed to American manufacturing, building all of their suppressors in Millcreek, Utah.

For more info visit www.huxwrx.com.

Posted in Industry, Suppressors | 2 Comments »

Eco Defense Group Supports Development of New Ranger Special Operations Team in Table Mountain Park

Monday, January 10th, 2022

Eco Defense Group is excited to announce the initial phase in its program to support the newly formed “SEAM Team” in Table Mountain National Park.

Standing for “Sea, Air, Mountain,” the SEAM team is an elite group of Ranger recruits being trained for the strategic purpose of countering the poaching and criminal threats facing Table Mountain National Park. This is a radical new and highly effective approach to conserving the national park and its pristine wilderness, unique to Africa and a proclaimed, Natural World Heritage Site.

The SEAM team is a multi-discipline clandestine unit implementing a diversity of skillsets and capabilities. Eco Defense Group is proud to offer support and training where necessary and collaborate on the evolution of all three teams under the SEAM program.

Working with strategic US-based partners like Cloud Defensive, Vortex Optics, Otte Gear, ANR Design, Altus, Muddy Shutter Media, Altama Boots and Kay Foye Knives as well as private sponsors, and implementing US-special missions unit training expertise, Eco Defense Group is highly invested in the successful implementation of this noble program and has made it a 2022-2023 priority.

“The SEAM program is an evolution not just in capability but in thinking, and we’re grateful to South Africa National Parks for the invitation to be part of this exciting project,” says Eco Defense Group president Nathan Edmondson. “Development of this team and the protection of Table Mountain is a globally important mission.”

International syndicate-backed crime has risen sharply and has become a significant threat to Southern Africa wilderness following the COVID travel shutdowns. South Africa National Parks has faced substantial loss of tourism revenue and faces ongoing cancellations from international travelers.

“Dynamic thinking is a must, and the SEAM leaders are ensuring a bright future with this modern and ambitious program,” says Edmondson. “We invite our sponsors to join us in this project—what the SEAM Rangers do, they do on behalf of and to benefit the entire international community. Eco Defense Group is proud to continue to support South Africa National Park and is committed to an ongoing investment in equipping, training and supporting the SEAM Team.”

Previously Eco Defense Group has developed a Fast Rope Program for Table Mountain National Park and in 2021 delivered and developed a Marine Protection Unit at Addo Elephant National Park.

Posted in Industry, Press Release | Comments Off on Eco Defense Group Supports Development of New Ranger Special Operations Team in Table Mountain Park

Cobalt Kinetics Gears Up To Attend 2022 SHOT Show!

Monday, January 10th, 2022

January 10th, 2022: Cobalt Kinetics, a manufacturer of American Masterpiece firearms, is proud to announce that they will be showcasing their Pro model rifle line, SPR model rifle line, and accessories line at the 2022 NSSF SHOT Show (January 18th-21st at the Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV). Booth #43362 will be the headquarters for all things Cobalt during the SHOT Show. Dealers, Distributors, and all interested parties are invited to pass by the booth to witness the monumental rebirth of the well-known brand.

Cobalt will be showcasing some tantalizing show specials for their product lines as well as great programs scaled to meet each level of Dealer/ Distributor needs. Pro-staff shooters Farewell Firearms Training, Kinetic Consulting, MUSA Consulting, X-Ring Channel, Microtech Knives, and more will be appearing at the Cobalt booth throughout the week. Make sure to mark down booth #43362 as the place to be this year at the SHOT Show.

“This year has a lot of historical meaning for the Cobalt team. It has been two long years since anyone has been able to attend the SHOT show, and this year we will be attending as a completely rebranded company with a bunch of new products. This is exciting and the whole team can’t wait to get back to creating some long-lasting relationships at this show!”

– Gabriel Cabrera (Chief Sales Officer)

If you are a Dealer/ Distributor interested in learning more about the new updates with the brand, would like to schedule a meeting at the SHOT Show, or have any Sales/ Marketing inquiries make sure to reach out to Gabriel Cabrera (TheCuban@CobaltKinetics.com).

For more information on Cobalt Kinetics and their products go to www.CobaltKinetics.com

Posted in Industry, SHOT Show | Comments Off on Cobalt Kinetics Gears Up To Attend 2022 SHOT Show!

Zenith AeroTech, VIRTEX Form Strategic Partnership to Meet Increasing Customer Demand for Long-endurance, Heavy-lift, Tethered Drones

Friday, January 7th, 2022

This collaboration will allow Zenith AeroTech to meet larger production goals for its line of tethered aerial vehicles while being fully compliant with National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) regulations

AFTON, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Zenith AeroTech, a leading developer of heavy-lift tethered aerial vehicles (TAVs), announced today that it has formed a strategic partnership with VIRTEX Enterprises (“VIRTEX”), an Austin-based electronics manufacturing service provider, to meet increasing customer demand for more TAVs in shorter timeframes and for these platforms to be NDAA compliant.

“Zenith brings years of custom-made TAV and free-flight drone design and manufacturing experience, while VIRTEX—an AS 9100 accredited organization—contributes its sought-after advanced electronics design, manufacturing, and testing capabilities.”

“This new partnership allows our two companies to leverage their individual areas of expertise,” said Kutlay Kaya, chairman of Zenith AeroTech. “Zenith brings years of custom-made TAV and free-flight drone design and manufacturing experience, while VIRTEX—an AS 9100 accredited organization—contributes its sought-after advanced electronics design, manufacturing, and testing capabilities.”

Zenith AeroTech offers industry, Federal government, first responder, telecommunications, and military customers the option of three different, highly customizable TAV platforms: Hexa, Quad 8, and Quadro. Thanks to Zenith’s Ground Power-Tether Management System, these TAVs can stay aloft for days at a time, delivering true persistent surveillance.

VIRTEX provides engineering services, design, system level integration, PCBA and full life cycle management services for the aerospace, military, and commercial market. These services are delivered in vertically integrated solutions with an aim towards long-term customer partnerships.

“VIRTEX’s U.S.-based manufacturing capability and its specialized aerospace experience will ensure that Zenith products are all American-made and fully NDAA compliant, unlike other drone suppliers,” said Kaya. “VIRTEX will also allow Zenith to scale up production to meet larger volume orders in a shorter timeframe.”

Meanwhile, Zenith will help VIRTEX enter the growing, technically sophisticated small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) market, with introductions to new defense and law enforcement customers.

Dana Pittman, Executive VP of VIRTEX, noted that the combination of the two companies brings with it a great deal of technical depth.

“The vertical capabilities of our two companies include full system design, manufacture and integrated test,” Pittman said. “We offer leading-edge custom solutions that support multiple channels, including defense. With this partnership, VIRTEX and Zenith will build complex systems to address diverse and complex problem sets.”

Posted in Industry, Press Release, UAS | Comments Off on Zenith AeroTech, VIRTEX Form Strategic Partnership to Meet Increasing Customer Demand for Long-endurance, Heavy-lift, Tethered Drones

Propper Is Not Attending SHOT Show

Friday, January 7th, 2022

Posted in Industry, SHOT Show | Comments Off on Propper Is Not Attending SHOT Show

SENTRY Tactical Launches E-Commerce Division; Taps Brandon Shirey to Build and Lead the Charge

Thursday, January 6th, 2022

The past 24 months have brought new challenges, and the industry has been forced to adopt new methods to meet growing needs at both consumer and distribution levels.

Virginia Beach, Va. (January 2022) –SENTRY Tactical™, a leading manufacturer and distributor of products focused on protection, storage, and transportation of outdoor, military, and law enforcement equipment, has recently hired Brandon Shirey as Director E-Commerce Sales to support the brand expansion online.

Shirey is a military veteran having served in the US Navy. He has 20+ years in the Tactical / Shooting Sports industry, and was a former team member with the SENTRY Team while at BLACKHAWK! He holds a B.S in Business Administration and Information Technology from Old Dominion University. With a real passion for the outdoors, Brandon had founded and operated a camping / hiking outfitters business for 15 years with two store locations, most recently located in Northwest, Georgia.

“I am beyond excited to be working with the majority of the team I had the honor of working with for over 10 years at BLACKHAWK! Having worked with both the sides of the market, first as a supplier, supporting E-Comm and dealer sales requests, and secondly, as a retailer evaluating the programs available from numerous manufacturers while implementing them in my own stores, I know the challenges and necessities the distributors, dealers and retailers face,” noted Shirey. “Now, I have the opportunity to evaluate programs from both sides to create a win-win for our dealers, distributors, and consumers.”

“We have several key initiatives we want to launch with the E-Commerce Division,” stated Terry Naughton, President of SENTRY Products Group. “These are focused in three key areas. First, expanded support for dealer sales by implementing a drop ship program allowing dealers to offer a blend of stocked or drop ship items across the entire SENTRY product offering. Second, provide new tools to the dealer supporting product awareness, education and display. And, third, extending our consumer reach and product education through social media.”

Dealers who are interested in learning more about available programs like Drop Ship and additional media support can contact SENTRY Tactical directly at Info@sentryltp.com to be linked direct to Brandon.

To learn more about SENTRY Tactical™, or to become a dealer, contact us at info@sentryltp.com or visit sentrytactical.com.

Posted in Advertiser, Industry, Press Release | 1 Comment »

Premier Body Armor’s Alex Stewart Named President

Wednesday, January 5th, 2022

GASTONIA, N.C. – January 5, 2022 – Premier Body Armor is pleased to announce that Alex Stewart has been promoted to President of the company. Stewart’s new position reflects a shift in the operational leadership at Premier Body Armor and marks a new era for the growing company.

“I want to congratulate Alex on a well-deserved promotion,” said Frank Stewart, CEO, Premier Body Armor. “For the last few years Alex has assembled an amazing team of professionals that have taken Premier Body Armor to another level. His leadership and communication skills are second to none. I am very proud of Alex and am very excited for the future of Premier Body Armor under his leadership. I will remain on board at PBA as CEO and it will be a pleasure to work alongside him.”

Frank Stewart’s enthusiasm is shared by others in the industry. “At Alexium we greatly value Premier Body Armor as a commercial partner and congratulate Alex on his promotion to President,” Bob Brookins, CEO, Alexium International Group Ltd. said. “He has been an integral part of Alexium’s collaboration with Premier for thermal management technologies, and I have been impressed with his work and vision here. I look forward to working with Alex and to a profitable lasting relationship.”

“We at Vertx have always appreciated the partnership that Premier Body Armor has afforded us,” said Denny Bogard, Vice President & General Manager, Vertx. “Their products perform well with our products and they continue to provide solutions for our customers that are second to none.

“It is very exciting to see them continue their path forward by promoting Alex Stewart to President. Alex has always been great to work with and I am sure will not only continue the legacy started by his father, but take the baton and run with it. We’re excited to see what the future holds for this great company and look forward to seeing how Alex can take Premier Body Armor to the next level!”

“Congratulations to Alex on his recent promotion,” added Ron Dan from Stryk Group. “Over the years, Alex has proven to be an amazing asset to Premier Body Armor through his unmatched work ethic and passion for the products he represents. There is no doubt that Premier will continue to grow and succeed under Alex’s leadership. Another great move by a great American company!”

Stewart’s new role as President is effective immediately, and just in time for SHOT Show, 2022. Stop by the booth 41548 to meet Stewart and to find out more about the innovative armor solutions from Premier Body Armor.

premierbodyarmor.com

Posted in Armor, Industry, Press Release | Comments Off on Premier Body Armor’s Alex Stewart Named President