Advanced Soft Armor a Winner for DHB Capital Group

DHB Armor Group Holds $175 Million in Contracts

Point Blank Body Armor, a subsidiary of the DHB Capital Group Inc.'s DHB Armor Group, has been awarded several top contracts with various branches of the U.S. military and law enforcement agencies.

The OTV, a continually upgradable modular soft body armor system, consists of a base vest, collar assembly, throat protector and groin protector. It offers fragmentation and ballistic protection at a much lighter weight than comparable equipment. The bulletproof vest, for example, weighs about 8 pounds, can stop a 9 mm bullet and provides more flexibility than previous vests.

Since mid-July, the company has received a total of $30.5 million in orders for the company's Interceptor Outer Tactical Vest (OTV), in deals which could expand to bring in more than $150 million over the next five years. In addition, the company has been awarded contracts with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (valued at $1 million annually), U.S. Marshall Service ($400,000), U.S. Customs Service ($2 million), the New York, NY, Police Department ($4.7 million), and New York, NY's and Delawere's Department of Corrections ($2 million).

In an interview with Bobbin, Rich Cote, vice president of DHB Capital Group, stated that the key to the company's success has been offering technological innovation and excellent service. "You have to understand that we are a technologically advanced design and development company. And in addition to being innovative, we have the ability to manufacture and deliver on time," commented Cote.

These competencies will be extremely important going forward, Cote noted, because the Interceptor OTV contract requires that the company not only meet a stringent list of garment/product construction requirements -- ranging from weight, thickness and ballistic performance to area of coverage -- but also continually improve and upgrade the system.

"The same vests we are shipping today will not be the same as the vests we ship out next year," Cote stressed. "This requires continuous research and development. And this is right up our alley; with upgrades in ballistic fibers, you have to have a focus on hybrid designs and for years we have had advanced engineering in this area," he added.

The ability to design, develop and produce such innovations has reaped rewards throughout the DHB Armor Group, which consists of subsidiaries PACA Body Armor, Point Blank Body Armor Inc., Point Blank International S.A. and Lanxide Armor Products Inc. In total, the group now holds body armor contracts for military, law enforcement and corrections agencies well in excess of $175 million.

Summing up the company's focus on research and development, Cote explained: "The threats that military and law enforcement officers face are constantly in flux. So this premium on innovation is extremely important -- not just for the success of the company, but for the people who must wear protective gear."

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