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KDH Defense Systems Awarded $29.9 Million Delivery Order from the US Army

Tuesday, March 5th, 2019

Eden, NC, March 4, 2019 – KDH Defense Systems, Inc. (“KDH”), a leading manufacturer of American-made, high-performance protective solutions, today announced it has been awarded a $29.9 million delivery order from the U.S. Army Contracting Command to produce the Modular Scalable Vest (“MSV”) Gen II System.

“Once again, we thank the U.S. Army for the trust they have placed in us. Keeping our protectors safe with the best protection remains our #1 priority and all of us, both at KDH Defense and Armor Express, stand ready to support all customers and their mission-critical requirements,” stated Jim Henderson, Chief Executive Officer. “We are continuing to invest in our business, leverage manufacturing capacity at both locations, and expand our partner network to enhance delivery times and improve innovation. 2019 is going to be a great year for our Company and we look forward to exceeding the needs of the U.S. Armed Forces, the various Federal agencies we work with, all First Responders, as well as our distribution partners across the world.”

This most recent delivery order is part of the Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (“ID/IQ”) contract the Company previously announced in September 2018 – Contract #W91-CRB-15-D-0021. Production will be done at the Company’s Eden, North Carolina manufacturing facility.

The Army MSV-GEN II includes both Tactical and Concealable Vest components. It can be worn over the soldier’s uniform and features Concealable Components inserted into the Tactical Carrier. The Concealable Components contain the soft ballistic panels for the MSV-GEN II and can be removed from the Tactical Carrier and worn separately as a complete Concealable Vest. This vest system can be easily transformed to a Tactical or Concealable carrier depending on mission requirements.

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Posted in Armor, Contracts, Press Release | 22 Comments »

KDH Defense Systems Wins Prestigious Drug Enforcement Administration Contract  

Thursday, September 13th, 2018

Eden, NC, September 13, 2018 – KDH Defense Systems, Inc. (“KDH”), a leading manufacturer of American-made, high-performance protective solutions, today announced it has been awarded a competitive, multiple-year Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) Contract for Ballistic Body Armor from the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”). Under the terms of this award (15DDHQ18D00000014), KDH will manufacture and deliver both concealable and tactical vests, as well as hard armor plates to the DEA. The contract covers one base year with four one-year options, with a maximum value that shall not exceed $2.9 million.

“For the past several years, KDH Defense has supported the DEA’s body armor requirements and we are honored again, to have been selected as their protective solutions company,” stated Dave Herbener, President of KDH.

Jim Henderson, Chief Executive Officer of the holding company that owns both Armor Express and KDH Defense Systems stated, “Between Armor Express and KDH, we now service most of the pre-eminent Federal agencies. Our goal is to continue to expand our reach, enhance our solutions and deliver the best service that our customers mandate. We stand ready to support the DEA’s mission-critical requirements and look forward to building on our partnership in the years to come.”

Manufacturing will be performed at the Company’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Eden, North Carolina. All body armor will be delivered, inspected and accepted at the DEA Headquarters and regional division offices located throughout the 50 United States and overseas.

www.kdhdefensesystems.com

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KDH Defense Systems Awarded Nearly $85.0 Million in Contract Extensions from the U.S. Army to Deliver the Next-Generation Modular Scalable Vest and Blast Pelvic Protection

Tuesday, September 4th, 2018

Eden, NC, September 4, 2018 – KDH Defense Systems, Inc. (“KDH”), a leading manufacturer of American-made, high-performance protective solutions, today announced it has received close to $85.0 million in contract extensions on previously awarded contracts from the U.S. Army. Production will be done at the Company’s Eden, North Carolina manufacturing facility.

The first award is a $61.0 million shared Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (“ID/IQ”) contract extension from the Army Contracting Command for the Modular Scalable Vest (MSV) Generation II. Under the terms of the contract (W91CRB-15-D-0021, modification P00019), KDH will produce the MSV Gen II, with an estimated completion date of August 20, 2019. KDH, along with two other companies, was initially awarded a $49.0 million shared firm-fixed-price contract for the Soldier Protection System, Modular Scalable Vest in July 2015.

The second award is a shared ID/IQ contract extension from the Army Contracting Command for Soldier Protection System Torso and Extremity Protection Blast Pelvic Protectors (“BPP”) under contract W91CRB-15-D-0032. The modification issued by the U.S. Army increases the contract ceiling by $23.8 million and extends the ordering period by two years through September 2020. As a result, the Government may place additional delivery orders for a grand total of up to $37.3 million under the terms of this extended contract. KDH was one of three companies to win the initial award in September 2015.

“KDH prides itself on producing and consistently delivering some of the most advanced body armor systems for the U.S. Armed Forces, and protecting the brave men and women serving in the world’s finest military,” stated Dave Herbener, President of KDH. “We are honored by the Government’s trust in us and stand ready to exceed their force protection requirements. Further, we want to thank all of the industry partners that have supported us and look forward to working more closely together to drive innovation and value for all of our customers.”

KDH Defense and Armor Express officially merged in January 2018, creating one of the largest manufacturers and distributors of body armor and protective solutions in the industry. With these latest contract extensions and other awards received post-merger, the Company has grown, and equally important, has leveraged research & development, supply chain relationships and industry know-how to advance its production capabilities and vast product offerings.

“Since the merger, we have focused on leveraging resources, decades of industry knowledge and relationships between our companies,” stated Jim Henderson, Chief Executive Officer of the holding company that owns both KDH Defense Systems and Armor Express. “These synergies have certainly strengthened our competitive position and provide us with significantly more opportunities to enhance our foundation and grow with our partners. That is key to our future – driving long-term collaboration with the supply chain, technology leaders, distributors, and the end-customers who rely on our solutions. Central to our vision and to be the best, we must continuously advance innovation and ensure we exceed customer requirements through unmatched delivery and service.”

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Armor Express and KDH Defense Systems Merge, Creating one of the Largest Manufacturers and Distributors of Body Armor and Protective Solutions Worldwide

Thursday, January 11th, 2018

CENTRAL LAKE, MI, January 11, 2018 – Central Lake Armor Express, Inc. (“Armor Express“), a leading manufacturer and distributor of high-performance body armor solutions, is proud to announce that it has officially merged with KDH Defense Systems (“KDH”). By joining forces, the Companies now serve the U.S. Armed Forces, Department of Defense, Federal and Domestic law enforcement professionals, and various international agencies across the world.

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Since Armor Express was founded in 2005, it has been one of the leading suppliers of concealable and tactical body armor systems to Law Enforcement, with a distribution network spanning the United States and select international markets. The Company has also expanded in recent years, becoming one of the largest providers of protective solutions to Federal Law Enforcement, on the heels of recent contract wins with the Department of Homeland Security and other prestigious Federal agencies. Similarly, KDH is one of the prime manufacturers of protective gear for the Department of Homeland Security and has several contracts with other Federal agencies, in addition to its long-standing heritage as one of the largest suppliers of body armor systems to the U.S. Armed Forces. Since KDH was founded in 2003, it has produced various versions of the Outer Tactical Vest (“OTV”), Improved Outer Tactical Vest (“IOTV”), Soldier Plate Carrier System, ATPC Spear system, Modular Scalable Vest (“MSV”), Light Air Warrior System (“LAWS”), Ultra Low Visibility Concealable Body Armor (“ULV-CBA”), and other related products and accessories. Today, KDH is believed to be the largest provider of body armor to the U.S. Armed Forces.

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It was also announced today that James R. Henderson has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Praesidium, the Holding Company that owns both Armor Express and KDH Defense Systems. An industry veteran with over 30 years of operational and financial experience, Jim also served as Chief Executive Officer of Point Blank Enterprises, Inc. and was instrumental in the Company’s expansion and growth with the U.S. Armed Forces, Domestic and Federal Law Enforcement, and internationally. He also was responsible for fostering strategic partnerships with supply chain and technology leaders, while working with the industry to optimize performance and deliver the highest quality solutions to our protectors.

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Commenting on today’s news, Mr. Henderson stated, “The combination of Armor Express and KDH is a win for the industry and the thousands of end-users who rely on both companies’ life-saving protective solutions. Manufacturing capacity, ballistic R&D and carrier design capabilities are significantly enhanced, and the platform for growth has never been stronger. The opportunities to continue to partner with leading fiber, fabric, material and component companies are limitless and together, Armor Express and KDH will drive innovation and deliver the highest-performing body armor systems in the industry. We look forward to working with our partners and exploring ways to improve further.”

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Matt Davis, founder of Armor Express and Dave Herbener, founder of KDH, will both serve as President of their respective organizations, reporting to Mr. Henderson. Manufacturing of Domestic and Federal body armor will continue to be performed at Armor Express’ facility in Central Lake, MI and KDH will continue to produce on its Military, Government and Federal Law Enforcement contracts at its manufacturing facility in Eden, NC.

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Posted in Armor, Industry, Press Release | 8 Comments »

KDH Defense Systems Chooses Honeywell Materials For Products Designed For US Military Protection System

Wednesday, October 5th, 2016

Spectra Shield® and Gold Shield® help military achieve goals for reducing soldiers’ body armor weight

MORRIS PLAINS, N.J., Oct. 4, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Honeywell (NYSE: HON) announced today that KDH Defense Systems will use Spectra Shield® and Gold Shield® ballistic composite materials to create new soft armor vest systems as part of the U.S. Army’s next-generation Soldier Protection System (SPS).

Reducing body armor weight is a key goal for the Army. The SPS is a modular, scalable and tailorable system designed to provide an overall weight reduction of 10 percent. It is comprised of five subsystems, one of which is the Torso and Extremity Protection (TEP) subsystem that aims to achieve a 26 percent weight reduction. KDH Defense Systems will incorporate Spectra Shield and Gold Shield with its own ballistic designs to produce several TEP products.

“The key to reducing body armor weight is combining state-of-the-art ballistic designs like KDH Modular Scalable Vests with next-generation materials like Honeywell Shield,” said Dave Herbener, president and CEO, KDH Defense Systems. “We are committed to leveraging the most innovative technologies to help protect the brave men and women serving in the U.S. military.”

Short Bark Industries is also using Spectra Shield to create Ballistic Combat Shirts (BCS) for the SPS TEP system. The company specializes in soft armor, tactical wear, gear and accessories for the military, governmental agencies and law enforcement.

“Honeywell Spectra Shield is a key material to create armor that meets the military’s rigorous requirements for weight, mobility, flexibility and protection,” said Lisa Held Janke, president and CEO, Short Bark Industries, LLC. “Our team works tirelessly to develop solutions that help protect soldiers from the ballistic threats they face in combat.”

Armor made with Honeywell’s Spectra Shield and Gold Shield products were chosen by soldiers after a U.S. Military Human Factors Evaluation. These armor systems demonstrated improved mobility and flexibility, in addition to reduced weight, compared to systems predominantly made with woven aramid.

“The next generation of soft body armor uses Spectra fiber instead of aramid fiber for optimal performance and protection,” said Lin Murray, armor program manager for military and law enforcement at Honeywell Packaging and Composites. “Our collaboration with innovative companies like KDH Defense Systems and Short Bark Industries ensures that the U.S. military and law enforcement have the most advanced ballistic protection available.”

Spectra Shield technology is a patented Honeywell process designed to optimize the ballistic performance characteristics of Spectra fibers. Spectra Shield and Gold Shield products have been widely adopted and proven for the most advanced armor applications globally, from bullet-resistant vests, breast plates and helmets to combat vehicles and military aircraft—all of which require lightweight solutions and superior performance.

Honeywell maintains an active Spectra fiber and ballistic materials research program focused on continuous improvement and development of high-performance materials. For more information, visit www.honeywell-spectra.com.

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KDH Lays Off 280 at Eden NC Plant

Tuesday, December 4th, 2012

According to the Winston-Salem Journal, body armor manufacturer KDH is laying off 280 in January at their Eden, North Carolina plant due to the end of Government orders.

KDH manufacturers the IOTV for the Army as well as the IMTV and Plate Carrier for the USMC.

This lay off is hoped to be temporary as KDH works to bring in LE business, but the slow down will affect almost two-thirds of their work force.

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KDH Releases Body Care and Use Manual

Sunday, January 8th, 2012

Get yours at kdhdefensesystems.com

They will also be in booth #6003 at SHOT Show.

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Take This! Oh Yeah? Well, Take That!

Saturday, November 19th, 2011

In 2009, KDH and Eagle Industries entered into a teaming agreement to bid on production of the USMC’s Improved Modular Tactical Vests and Plate Carriers. KDH was awarded contracts for production of both systems by the Marines. Initial production samples were made but some issues arose over the Government’s design and consequently costs rose. Eagle says that KDH couldn’t come to an agreement on pricing so, in September, Eagle Industries sued KDH alleging, “refusing to honor previously established prices, by offering Eagle only take-it-or-leave-it pricing, and by threatening to use entities other than Eagle to perform work encompassed by the Teaming Agreement.”

Eagle vs KDH

Naturally, KDH filed their own suit against Eagle. However, this one is a little tougher to follow. Had they just countersued they would have had to file in Missouri. But their suit alleges an entirely different set of circumstances. This means that the KDH suit was filed in North Carolina. You might think that KDH is a Pennsylvania company but you see, they moved to their current ISO 9001 facility in Eden, North Carolina from Johnstown, Pennsylvania in early 2010 after the passing of defense appropriations sugar daddy Rep John Murtha. At any rate, according to KDH, Eagle bought some armor to fulfill a contract, that they never paid for. They want their paper!

KDH vs Eagle

Now, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that these two suits, while focusing on two seemingly separate issues, are actually symptoms of a larger issue of corporate discord.

The defense budget is shrinking. There won’t be as many contracts in the future, as we have seen over the last 10 years, so expect to see more of these types of suits filed as companies begin to deal with the new reality. Things are getting tough. However, considering what lawyers cost, they both may well end up losing even more money on these lawsuits than they would have had they just sucked it up and made things happen.

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Posted in Industry | 5 Comments »

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