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Archive for the ‘Industry’ Category

215 GEAR Has Acquired Carbon Tactics and GearFur

Thursday, May 11th, 2023

May 10th, 2023

BLUF: Virginia Beach, VA– 215 GEAR™, a 100% Service Disabled Veteran Owned and operated company, has acquired both Carbon Tactics and GearFur brands.

Background: Founded in 2007, 215 GEAR™ has provided the Special Operations and Federal Law Enforcement communities with customized solutions for gear and equipment, primarily focusing on sewn products. In 2021, 215 has stood up CNC machining in house, developing solutions for its clients in the area of machined solutions. With the increased capability, 215 GEAR™ has been able to provide the end user with customized solutions, the same way as with its sewn products division. 215 GEAR™ has always been a family owned and operated company, making its products 100% in the USA.

Founded in 2010, Carbon Tactics and GearFur have provided unique products for the EDC, First Responders, Military, Police and civilian markets. Successfully starting and funding 21 Kickstarter campaigns, Carbon Tactics has provided unique and highly engineered products in the above categories. Both companies were owned and operated as a family owned and operated business, making their products right in the USA.

Way Ahead: The Carbon Tactics website will continue, legacy products will be added back in stock as production gets under way. The GearFur latch mechanism will be added to the 215 GEAR™ tactical line of K9 products. Additionally 215 will add a civilian category for the everyday dog lover.

Closing Comments: 215 GEAR™ is excited for this announcement and the opportunities this acquisition will allow us to offer our customer base. This purchase was right in our core competencies of sewing and machined solutions, additionally reaching a new audience of customer base. We look forward to continuing the Carbon Tactics and GearFur legacy of offering great products, supporting the American worker.

ASA Hires VP Of Marketing Jessica Kallam

Wednesday, May 10th, 2023

ATLANTA, GA: The American Suppressor Association (ASA) is thrilled to announce the hiring of Jessica Kallam as the Vice President of Marketing. With over two decades of experience in the firearms industry, Jessica is a proven leader in marketing, communications, and public affairs.

“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Jessica onto our team,” said Knox Williams, Executive Director of ASA. “We’ve known Jessica for years, and have always admired and respected her work ethic and acumen. She brings a skill set that will dramatically strengthen the Association and our ability to effectively advocate.”

“SHE BRINGS A SKILL SET THAT WILL DRAMATICALLY STRENGTHEN… OUR ABILITY TO EFFECTIVELY ADVOCATE.”

— Knox Williams, Executive Director of ASA

Prior to joining ASA, Jessica was the Vice President of Marketing, Customer Service, and Warranty for ASA sponsor SilencerCo. During that time, she worked directly with ASA on multiple fundraising and awareness campaigns.

“I am incredibly excited to join ASA’s fight for pro-suppressor reform,” said Jessica Kallam, VP of Marketing of ASA. “With over 20 years in the firearms industry working for some of the top brands, I can’t think of a better way to support them than to fight for our rights. Knox Williams and Owen Miller have done a fantastic job pursuing legislation (and litigation) in every state that does not currently allow suppressor ownership with the No State Left Behind Campaign and I look forward to helping them make suppressors legal in all 50 states.”

Join us in the fight to help protect and expand your right to own and use suppressors by becoming an ASA Member at www.ASAMember.com.

Octasic Assembles Strategic Advisory Committee for US Federal and DoD Markets

Tuesday, May 9th, 2023

Tampa, FL, May 9, 2023 — Octasic, a manufacturer of programmable silicon for mission-critical wireless applications, has formed a Special Advisory Committee made up of esteemed experts with decades-long experience in defense and intelligence. The committee will provide advice and guidance to Octasic in its engagements with the US Federal and Department of Defense (DoD) markets.

The committee members were chosen for their expertise in engineering and communications, as well as their unique insights into the future of public security systems and battle-ready technology. The committee’s mission is to ensure Octasic conforms to and grows with the needs of its US Defense and federal agency clients, and to provide invaluable customer insights across these sectors.

“The creation of this strategic committee is an important milestone for us as it reflects our mission and priorities to create a more secure and connected world. It is essential for us to do so while respecting the highest standards of ethics and governance,” says Sébastien Leblanc, CEO of Octasic. “With the insight and guidance of the committee, we will ensure that solutions developed for this market provide the highest levels of quality while continuing our dedication to 5G wireless innovations and beyond.”

With more than 155 years of combined experience the Octasic Strategic Advisory Committee Members are:

Gary Martin, retired PEO-C3T (US DoD): Gary Martin is a retired Program Executive Officer with more than 33 years of service in the US Army. From 2015 to 2018, Martin headed the Program Executive Office Command, Control, and Communications-Tactical (PEO C3T). Leading more than 1,600 personnel, he took on significant challenges in 23 major army programs. Martin holds a Master of Science in Engineering Management from the University of Pennsylvania and graduated from the Management Development program at Harvard Business School.

Henry Muller, retired Director CERDEC (US DoD): Henry Muller’s engineering and R&D expertise have proven invaluable to the US Armed Forces. His 33-year service includes a role as Director for the US Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC). Here, he spearheaded technical research for C4ISR, provided strategic guidance, and established CERDEC’s Science and Technology portfolio. Muller holds a Master of Science in Management of Technology from the Stevens Institute of Technology and graduated from the Harvard Senior Executive Fellows program. He also holds Army Acquisition Corp. Level III Certification in Engineering, Program Management, and S&T Management.

Thomas Trask, Retired LGEN USAF (US DoD): Thomas Trask retired five years ago from his role as Vice Commander of the US Special Operations Command, Lt. Gen. He planned, coordinated, and executed actions with the Office of Secretary of Defense and the Joint Staff, among other government agencies. Throughout Lt. Gen. Trask’s 33 years of service in the Air Force, he accumulated more than 3,200 flight hours and 50 combat missions with Operations Just Cause (Panama), Operation Desert Storm (Kuwait), and several missions in the Balkans, Bosnia, and Kosovo. He holds three master’s degrees in political science from Troy State University, the Naval War College, and Air University School and Advanced Airpower Studies.

Harry Coker, Retired Executive NSA & CIA: Retired Intelligence Executive and Naval Officer Harry Coker served in CIA leadership positions for nearly two decades. These roles spanned Science & Technology, Public Affairs, and Open Source Enterprise, where he was responsible for leveraging publicly available information. Coker served on the National Security/Foreign Policy team for the Presidential Transition Team of the Biden-Harris administration. Most recently, he completed a joint duty assignment as Executive Director of the NSA—a position that placed him third in command of the largest US Intelligence community. Mr. Coker is a recipient of the Presidential Rank Award and the CIA’s Don Cryer Award for Diversity and Inclusion Leadership.

Christian Rousseau, retired COL CAF (CA DND): Retired from the Canadian Armed Forces Intelligence Branch, Col Rousseau brings more than 35 years of military intelligence experience to the table.  He has been a leader and manager of all-sources intelligence enterprises at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels, nationally and internationally with the UN and NATO in Europe, the Balkans and Afghanistan. Of note, France awarded Christian the rank of Chevalier de l’Ordre national du Mérite for his outstanding work as Defence Attaché managing bilateral military cooperation in a particularly challenging time.  

Octasic will be exhibiting at SOF Week, Tampa, FL, on May 9 – 11, 2023, from Booth # 1653.

FN Announces $18 Million Expansion Project at Columbia, South Carolina Production Facility

Thursday, May 4th, 2023

(McLean, VA  – May 03, 2023) Following the announcement of the company’s plans to construct a second facility in Liberty, South Carolina, FN America, LLC, U.S. subsidiary of FN Herstal, S.A., a global firearms manufacturer, is pleased to share that an $18 million expansion of its Columbia, South Carolina facility will occur later this year with an expected completion in the first half of 2024.  

This plan will add more than 40,000-square-feet of manufacturing capacity and office space as well as create a Design Center of Excellence geared toward enhancing the company’s research and development for new products. The expansion will add 102 new positions to the company’s existing workforce and will allow the company to meet the ever-increasing demand for FN products.

“The record growth that our company has had these last several years has enabled us to invest in our  South Carolina manufacturing footprint with our soon-to-be new facility in Liberty and now the expansion of our Columbia facility,” said Mark Cherpes, President and CEO for FN America, LLC. “We were established in Richland County more than 40 years ago to manufacture small arms for the U.S. Army, and we are proud to expand our capacity to support that sector of our business.”

For more than 40 years, FN’s production facility has been located in Richland County, South Carolina and has produced more than 1 million small arms under contract to the U.S. Department of Defense. The company was originally established in the United States in 1979 and opened its doors in 1981 to produce the M240 medium machine gun, a variant of the FN MAG-58, under contract to the U.S. Army.

Currently, FN America employs more than 600 individuals to produce firearms, accessories and other adjacent products for the U.S. military, law enforcement agencies as well as consumers. The company has produced the M4A1, M16A4, M249 light machine gun, M240 medium machine gun and FN SCAR under contract for the U.S. military as well as the FN 509 striker-fired pistol line used by U.S. law enforcement agencies like the Los Angeles Police Department and individual officers nationwide.

To learn more about FN America and its products, please visit www.fnamerica.com. To view or apply to any open positions, please visit FN America’s careers site at careers.fnamerica.com.

General Dynamics Mission Systems and Abaco Collaborate to Answer Embedded Cybersecurity Battlefield Challenges

Thursday, April 27th, 2023

NASHVILLE, Tenn.— General Dynamics Mission Systems and AMETEK Abaco Systems are partnering to deliver several new products featuring advanced encryption and anti-tamper enabled capabilities to address the need for rugged, embedded secure processing and storage solutions at the board level.

The partnership combines General Dynamics’ programmable, embeddable security for communications, networking, and related equipment requiring high-grade cryptographic processing up to Top Secret with Abaco’s innovative rugged embedded computing, networking, and processing technology.

“Together, we are leveraging the complementary skills, knowledge, and experience of each company to enhance existing products,” said Scott Dunderdale, General Dynamics Mission Systems vice president and general manager for Land and Air Systems. “The partnership will also help us develop new products and pursue business opportunities of mutual interest that will improve our rugged embedded systems capabilities.”

The partnership allows the companies to rapidly bring highly secure, open architecture, and differentiated products to the market to address the defense industry’s most challenging embedded electronics requirements. Working together will allow the companies to build cybersecurity into the products from the start, rather than a less effective bolt-on at the end.

Mike Underwood, division vice president and business unit manager at Abaco, adds, “This unique partnership enables Abaco and General Dynamics to quickly provide advanced embedded cryptographic solutions for communications, networking, electronic warfare, and other mission operations around the world. Working together, we will provide innovative answers to embedded open systems encryption and cybersecurity challenges.”

Darley Names Timothy Nelson as Chief Financial Officer

Thursday, April 27th, 2023

ITASCA, IL – 4/27/2023 – Darley announced that Timothy Nelson has been named Chief Financial Officer of Darley, effective May 1, 2023.

Darley CEO Paul Darley, said, “Tim is a proven leader with a superior track record of delivering results and creating value. I’m excited to welcome him to Team Darley. He is a high-impact executive who will help grow the business for long-term, sustainable growth.”

Mr. Nelson was the CFO at Midwest Warehouse & Distribution System (based in Woodridge, IL) before it was acquired by the publicly traded corporation, Ryder Systems, Inc. in 2021, where he led Finance in the CPG division. Prior to Tim’s tenure at Midwest/Ryder, he worked in progressive accounting and financial leadership roles for the Chicago-based and family-owned corporation Ozinga Ready Mix as well as private equity-owned Fort Dearborn Company.

As CFO, Mr. Nelson will lead Darley’s finance organization and financial activities including accounting and controllership, financial planning and analysis, tax, internal audit, and treasury.

“I’m incredibly excited to join Team Darley,” said Mr. Nelson. “It’s an honor to have the opportunity to contribute to Darley’s outstanding reputation with a focus on continuing to drive it forward and support the sustained excellence in existing sectors and expansion into new areas.”

Mr. Nelson holds degrees from North Central College and Saint Xavier University. He resides in Naperville, IL with his wife and three daughters.

darley.com

FN Announces Second Facility in Pickens County, South Carolina

Thursday, April 27th, 2023

The New Facility Will Add More Than 100,000-Square-Feet of Manufacturing Capacity and Position the Company to Meet Increasing Demand for FN Products

(McLean, VA – April 26, 2023) FN America, LLC, the U.S. subsidiary of FN Herstal, S.A., a global firearms manufacturer, is pleased to announce plans to open a second production facility located in Pickens County, South Carolina, further expanding the company’s presence in the state. The company will invest $33 million into the construction of the more than 100,000-square-foot facility that will be constructed over two phases. In total, the expansion will add 176 new jobs to the company’s workforce and add new manufacturing capacity that will position the company to meet the increasing demand for FN products.

“FN has experienced significant growth over the last several years and demand for our products continues to increase in all market segments that we serve,” said Mark Cherpes, President and CEO for FN America, LLC. “Our new facility in Liberty, South Carolina will allow us to expand our manufacturing capabilities and grow our highly skilled workforce to meet that new demand. We are proud to partner with Pickens County and the state of South Carolina on this expansion.”

For more than 40 years, the company’s primary production facility has been located in Richland County, South Carolina and has produced more than 1 million small arms under contract to the U.S. Department of Defense. The company was originally established in the United States in 1979 and opened its doors in 1981 to produce the M240 medium machine gun, a variant of the FN MAG-58, under contract to the U.S. Army.

Currently, FN America employs more than 600 individuals to produce firearms, accessories and other adjacent products for the U.S. military, law enforcement agencies as well as consumers. The company has produced the M4A1, M16A4, M249 light machine gun, M240 medium machine gun and FN SCAR under contract for the U.S. military as well as it’s FN 509 striker-fired pistol line used by U.S. law enforcement agencies like the Los Angeles Police Department.

The company plans to break ground on its second facility in 2024 with an anticipated completion in 2025.

To learn more about FN America and its products, please visit www.fnamerica.com. To learn more about future or current, available positions, please visit FN America’s careers site at careers.fnamerica.com.

Aero Precision Filed Lawsuit Against Washington State Assault Weapons Ban

Wednesday, April 26th, 2023

Tacoma, WA – Due to the passage of House Bill 1240 by the Washington Legislature and Governor Jay Inslee signing it in to law on 4/25/23, Aero Precision has filed a lawsuit in con- junction with several other plaintiffs to combat this overreaching legislation, seeking tempo- rary and permanent injunction based on the unconstitutionality of this law.

The case was filed on 4/25/23 in the Eastern District of Washington, U.S. District Court. Plaintiffs include Aero Precision LLC , Amanda Banta (2012 Olympian Sport Shooter), Sharp Shooting Indoor Range & Gun Shop, The Range LLC, and the National Shooting Sports Foun- dation. The complaint is filed against defendants Robert W. Ferguson, Attorney General of Washington State, and John R. Batiste, Chief of the Washington State Patrol.

“We do not agree with this law and we do not think it is constitutional,” said Scott Dover, CEO of Aero Precision. “HB1240 bans some of the most common firearms and parts available. It impacts the lawful ownership of products we manufacture and sell to thousands of our cus- tomers in the State of Washington. It also restricts the rights of the individuals, Aero Preci- sion employees, who make these parts. We will fight this law in the courts and are confident in the outcome given the clear rulings in multiple Supreme Court cases, including Heller and Bruen.”