TenCate lands $13 M order for uniform fabrics

TenCate Defense Tactical, based in Union City, GA, received a new $13 million order last week for TenCate Defender? M fabric from Propper International, based in St. Charles, Missouri. The order is for the manufacture of uniforms for the U.S. Marine Corp's Flame Resistant Organizational Gear (FROG) program. It is the largest single order of TenCate Defender? M for this Marine program. Yarn and fabric to fill this order will be produced throughout 2009 and into Q1 of 2010. This is positive news for the related supply chain of U.S. textile industry with over 10,000 employees.

Both the U.S. Army and U.S. Marines gave commendations of appreciation to TenCate for the development and supply of TenCate Defender? M fabrics in 2008. In 2009, sales of TenCate Defender? M are scheduled to total $115 million for US DoD uniforms. Additional DoD uniform programs with UCP Nomex are expected to be $55 million in fabric sales.

Since 2007, TenCate Defender? M fabrics are the choice of the U.S. Army and U.S. Marines for ground soldier combat uniforms. In addition to combat uniforms, TenCate Defense Tactical manufactures flame resistant fabrics for Army Aircrew Combat Uniforms (A2CU), Improved Combat Vehicle Coveralls (ICVC), Navy Shipboard Jackets, and Army Balaclavas.

New TenCate products continue to be developed and are undergoing extensive wear testing by the US Military in new uniform applications designed to enhance soldier protection in Iraq and Afghanistan.

TenCate Defense Tactical is a global business unit of TenCate Protective Fabrics USA Inc., a global division of Royal Ten Cate. Southern Mills Inc., founded in the 1920's by the Ellis family and acquired by TenCate in 2004. It was the first textile mill to develop and commercially spin Nomex fibers into yarns and weave them into fabrics. Southern Mills now operates under the name TenCate Protective Fabrics USA Inc. With over 500 employees in GA, the Yarn Plant is located in Senoia, GA, the Weaving Plant in Zebulon, GA, and the Dyeing and Finishing Plant in Molena, GA. A sister division, TenCate Geosynthetics North-America, based in Jefferson, GA, employs an additional 500 people. A third US textile based division, TenCate Advanced Composites North-America, is based in Morgan Hill, CA. Currently all three USA based TenCate entities produce products for the US DoD, mainly in connection with personal and vehicle protection and military aerospace composites. Royal Ten Cate USA employs over 1,400 people in the United States. The parent company, Royal Ten Cate, based in The Netherlands, employs around 4,500 people worldwide.