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Protect The Force, LLC

Tuesday, September 8th, 2009

Protect the Force, LLC announced today the formation of their new company as a result of merger of Government Sales Group and Protect the Force. The new company is unique in that it focuses its considerable experiences and relationships on helping manufacturers of personal protective products and equipment streamline and accelerate the processes of development, fielding, contracting, and commercialization of products into the first responder and military segments of the U.S. Government.

The merger doubles the size of the company and adds a number of respected international manufacturer’s to its customer ranks. Clients include: Air Systems, Bright Star, Cocona, Crye Precision, Elkhart Brass, Higher Dimension Materials, Honeywell First Responder Products, Hurst Jaws of Life, Kappler, Lenzing Fibers International, Scott Health & Safety, Tencate Defense and Tactical, and Trident One.

“Our nation’s warriors and first responders deserve the very best life saving and performance enhancing technologies now. Our team knows firsthand what can happen when we fail in this essential mission. We have assembled a group of quality U.S. manufacturers who are committed to this cause”, noted Clay Williamson, Protect the Force President. Mr. Williamson, a recently retired Army Acquisition Corps Officer, started Protect the Force after years of working to better protect soldiers against the devastating effects of burn injury.

The two companies became acquainted after working together for a mutual customer. The company’s CEO, Mr. Gary Hess indicated that the merger was an obvious path to take. “Government Sales Group had significant expertise in the areas of sales and marketing within the Federal first responder markets and was looking to expand into other federal government markets. With this merger we have successfully accomplished this goal and have added significant capabilities and deep relationships in the areas of military research & development, product fielding and program level acquisition”.

Protect the Force is led by an impressive group of executives. In addition to Mr. Hess and Mr. Williamson, the Company announced that Mr. Bobby Feigler will continue in the role of Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Feigler brings significant corporate and early stage company experience to the team.

For more information, visit them on the web at www.protecttheforce.com.

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Metaklett Gives Velcro a Run for its Money

Sunday, September 6th, 2009

While not Velcro per se and not really the answer to most soft good problems, the new Metaklett fastener from the TUM Institute of Metal Forming and Casting in Munich, Germany takes a new look at the hook and loop concept.

Metaklett from the TUM Institute of Metal Forming and Casting

Manufactured from perforated steel strips 0.2 millimeters thick, one kind bristling with springy steel brushes and the other sporting jagged spikes, the Metaklett can support a maximum weight of capable of supporting 35 tons at temperatures up to 800ºC when pulled in the direction of the plane of the strips, and a square meter can hold a perpendicular load of seven tons.

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The New Wonder Twins – Massif and Gehring

Friday, August 28th, 2009

How could you call the combination of manufacturers of FR combat uniforms and the producers of specialty fabrics anything else? Yesterday, Massif Mountain Gear Company and Gehring Textiles announced that they have entered into an exclusive agreement to jointly develop and supply military forces around the world with a new generation of flame-resistant fabrics and apparel. Under the terms of the agreement, Massif will become Gehring’s exclusive customer for new flame-resistant fabrics developed by Gehring, or jointly by Gehring and Massif, for apparel, headwear and gloves. Gehring will continue to sell certain styles in its current line of flame-resistant fabrics to existing customers. Furthermore, this agreement will extend access to these innovative fabrics to Outdoor Research who is a strategic partner with Massif.

Massif produces the Army Combat Shirt and Gehring is widely known for their fabrics including Tweave. Outdoor Research produces FR hand and head wear from fabrics supplied by Massif.

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Media Picks Up FR Fiber Story

Monday, August 10th, 2009

In Mid-July we wrote about concerns over the sunset of the Berry waiver afforded FR-Rayon fibers produced in Austria. Now CNN has picked up the story. Unfortunately, the waiver extension has been defeated in the Senate. However, the House will consider the measure when they return from recess. It’s still not too late to weigh in with your Representative in support of the waiver extension.

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Flipanzip

Monday, July 27th, 2009

I attend a LOT of trade shows. I have become somewhat jaded, and when I am asked by friends and industry peers if I have seen anything “neat-o” I often say, “No, same stuff from last show”. That is why I scour the fringes of the trade show floor seeking out companies who don’t yet have enough points to sit at the big people table. And sure enough, virtually every show, I run across something both cool and completely unexpected. This OR Summer market was no exception. Granted, there was lots of interesting and innovative gear at OR but there can only be one “Most Innovative Product”. For me, it is the Flipanzip Interchangeable Zipper Slider.

Flipanzip

It is so simple to use I figured it out the first try. The threaded fastener is held under tension with a spring and controls the connection between the top and bottom bodies. This allows you to replace broken sliders. Additionally, when used as a slider you can quickly clear fouled zippers arising from misaligned teeth or loose material. The latter often happens with puffy cold weather clothing. Additionally, the fastener can be tightened completely to keep a zipper from accidentally opening which could be very useful on packs.

The Flipanzip currently comes in two sizes. One accommodates 8, 9, and 10 coil as well as tooth zippers. Conventional or invisible, makes no difference. The other fits 6 and 7 zippers. Additionally, the Flipanzip is available with a dual pull option so it can be used with sleeping bags or reversible garments. Word is that the military is very interested in the technology, so hopefully we will see it integrated into US combat equipment soon.

Visit Flipanzip on the web.

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OR Part IV

Monday, July 27th, 2009

Murdock Webbing Company. Inc.

Murdock Webbing's New Multicam Elastic

Murdock featured their Jacquard woven digital camo webbing as well as elastic. The new Multicam elastic is fantastic and they have begun to integrate company logos into the design.

Full details are available at www.murdockwebbing.com.

Watershed Maritime Tactical Products

Watershed MTP Patrol Pack

Watershed Maritime Tactical Products has a great lineup of waterproof bags, packs, and pack liners that are on issue to US forces. They recently added Multicam to their offerings of Coyote, Foliage, and Black.

Watershed MTP/Granite Tactical Collaboration

Watershed also unveiled a collaboration with Granite Gear. The new waterproof packs combines Granite Gear’s popular suspension with a Watershed MTP Kodiak Pack.

Exum Mountain Guides

Exum Mountain Guides was walking the show and discussing their XMS3 (Exum Mountain Systems Safety Survival) course offerings. They provide several standard courses including multi-day mountain movement and avalanche training. Visit www.exumguides.com for more information.

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Programmable Matter

Saturday, June 13th, 2009

DARPA’s “programmable matter” program aims to develop material that can be ordered to “self-assemble or alter their shape, perform a function and then disassemble themselves.” According to Henry Kenyon at Signal magazine, researchers are making some progress.

Programmable Matter

One day, that could lead to “morphing aircraft and ground vehicles, uniforms that can alter themselves to be comfortable in any climate, and ’soft’ robots that flow like mercury through small openings to enter caves and bunker complexes.” A soldier could even reach into a can of unformed goop, and order up a custom-made tool or a “universal spare part.”

One team from Harvard is working on a kind of “generalized Rubik’s Cube” that can fold into all kinds of shapes. Another is trying to order large strands of synthetic DNA to bind together in a “molecular Velcro.” An MIT group is building “self-folding origami” machines that “use specialized sheets of material with built-in actuators and data. These machines use cutting-edge mathematical theorems to fold themselves into virtually any three-dimensional object.”

The program, currently in its fifth month, is supposed to wrap up in the Spring.

Check out the entire article at Signal Magazine.

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Torso Heating for Dexterity in the Cold System

Sunday, May 10th, 2009

The name might be a mouthful but the concept is promising. Researchers at Canada’s Department of National Defence have developed a fitted battery-powered vest with a built-in thermostat. The system is designed to warm the torso to the point that the body can keep fingers warm on its own and negates the need for handwear as insulation.

The vest uses a built-in control system to monitor the wearer’s finger temperature, and turns up the heat when they’re chilly. This fools the core into thinking that the body is overheating, triggering an automatic response to send warm blood to the extremities.

Researchers have already demonstrated a prototype of the vest with Soldiers who disassembled and reassembled their rifles in -25° C conditions without difficulty.

Defense Research and Development Canada is interested in licensing the technology to the outdoor and sporting goods industries. Let’s hope someone in the Soldier Systems industry integrates the technology as well.

Interestingly, DARPA in conjunction with Standford Research Institute developed the “Glove” which does exactly the opposite. The hand is placed inside a cylinder with a rubberized cuff and a vacuum forms around the hand and cools blood which fills the capillaries. The blood is then in turn circulated through the body and cools the core. Performance is greatly enhanced in as little as five minutes of use.

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