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Those familiar with AirBoss Engineered Products know that innovation is a core tenet in our business and we’re always on the lookout for ways to expand into new markets. For those interested in how we’re revolutionizing our work to support military defense applications, we’d like to tell you about the recent work we did for Navistar Defense.
Navistar Defense is a defense contractor that specializes in the production of advanced military vehicles for the United States government. Navistar has had successful partnerships with the U.S. military since World War I. Over the past century, Navistar has honed its processes to create new, exciting solutions for various defense and military applications.
As is the case with all military and defense contractors in the U.S., manufacturers interested in government contracts face strict guidelines on where suppliers reside and from where materials are procured. Manufacturers working on U.S. military contracts must regularly ensure that a certain percentage of supplier materials are sourced locally.
This put Navistar in a difficult position when they were awarded a contract for military vehicle production. Navistar had an international supplier they had used for past projects, but the company in question was not based in North America, so, for this particular contract, Navistar couldn’t use them.
With few options at their disposal and an approaching deadline, Navistar turned to another contractor they had worked with in the past for emergency support—AirBoss!
Local Sourcing and Manufacturing
As a North America-based company, AirBoss could provide locally-sourced materials that met compliance requirements for Navistar’s contract. We entered the scene and immediately began work on a project to meet their needs.
They were under a tight deadline; their original project timeline assumed a partnership with their existing contractor partner. When this assumption was challenged, Navistar had to race to keep up. Fortunately, our team took this as a personal challenge and proceeded to complete the project at record speed.
AirBoss was able to step in, provide manufacturing support, and help Navistar turn things around. A typical project of this size involves multiple stages of prototyping and development, often lasting over a year from prototype design to product run.
We received the purchase order from Navistar in February and shipped the first part in April. We had accelerated product delivery way beyond the client’s expectations.
What Does the Future Hold for AirBoss?
While this project was a little different than our team was used to, Navistar was highly satisfied with our capabilities. Pending government approval, Navistar hopes to issue additional RFQs to AirBoss and continue our partnership with additional contracts.
We’re welcoming these changes with open arms. While our AirBoss Defense wing is currently setting the standard for survivability solutions and personal protective equipment, we’re hoping to leverage the resources in our Engineered Products division to expand our defense manufacturing capabilities even further. If our work with Navistar is any indication, our team is up to the task!
We believe that our work with Navistar is only the beginning. Follow us to stay informed about these projects and be the first to know when a new AirBoss product hits the market!
