MAY 2008

The O’Gara’s re-enter the armoring business?

The former owners of O’Gara, Hess & Eisenhardt Armoring that sold to Armor Holdings Inc ( changed to Centigon and now sold to BAE Systems) are rumored to have purchased an armoring company in  Mexico in pursuit of US Gov’t armor business. Nothing is confirmed to date: more later.

MARCH 2008

Letter brothers purchase armoring division.

The Letter brothers, owners of Carat-Duchatelet International in Belgium, have purchased the commercial armoring division of BAE Systems, formerly known as Centigon. No plans or have been announced: management in place- Mr. C. H. Letter, C.E.O., will be joined by Mr. John F. Gregg, Chairman, Mr. Thomas M. Letter, President, and Mr. Gary Allen, Executive Vice-President Operations.

FEBRUARY 2008
WBA (Mexico) President announced GM deal.

WBA President Thomas Betman announced a deal with General Motors deVenezuela as the “factory”armorer for SUV’s”. Plans are to armor one vehicle line ‘in plant’: those vehicles will be delivered to their retail dealers with a full factory warranty on the vehicle and the armor. WBA has additional OE armoring business with VW, BWM and Toyota in various
Latin markets.

JANUARY 2008

Ballistic glass manufacturers feel sales pressure.

Ballistic glass manufacturers are feeling additional sales pressure due to the exchange rates vs. the falling US dollar. AGP, the world’s largest ballistic glass producer has reported increased sales and experienced impacted margins within heightened competition in South American markets.

JUNE 2006

Chrysler de Mexico has awarded WBA Blindajes Alemanes the contract to produce their factory armored Jeep Program. WBA was selected after reviewing the other major firms in the area. Only a very few of the world’s independent armoring companies can pass the scrutiny, inspection, capitalization and manufacturing requirements of an OE automobile company. In fact we know of only one other such program with another armoring firm. This is the second OE program for WBA who also produces for Toyota in Bogotá, Colombia.

“We are very pleased and fortunate to have this arrangement with Chrysler,” said Thomas Betmann, President of WBA. “We will do approximately 100 vehicles for them this year and look to expand the program for 2008,” Betmann explained and “we are making the capital investments to continue.” ---- call or email for more information...

MARCH 2006
Ex-Patriot Executive Armored Vehicle Protection Survey Results

Far West Consulting Group was tasked with determining current guidelines for ex-patriot executive armored vehicle protection. We contacted Security Directors around the world ---- here are the results...

PUBLISHED IN SECURITY Magazine Feb 2006

The Truth About Vehicle Armor

By Douglas S. Kennedy, Contributing Writer
What you could call the "modern armored car industry" really started in the mid-1970s with curved ballistic OEM replacement glass. This made armored vehicles look like a standard vehicle as opposed to flat glass windshields found in money carriers (like the Brink's truck) that were an instant tip-off. Protection could be accomplished without letting everyone know about it, and orders started coming from corporate America.......

To read the entire article and Buyer's Checklist...

PUBLISHED IN BUSINESS WEEK Sept 2005

• Dangerous Driving
  When Armor Holdings' (AH ) Centigon unit tested its latest products, they had to survive a roadside bomb blast and a barrage of armor-piercing bullets. Using a new superhard, lightweight steel, the company will upgrade SUVs, sedans, and limos that ferry private contractors and government officials around Iraq and other dangerous places. The price tag: from $100,000 to more than $1 million. Armor Holdings exec Gary Allen says the vehicles will "offer the same protection U.S. military troops are getting" in heavily armored Humvees. It could prove a lucrative niche. "The interest level is huge," says Doug Kennedy, managing partner of Far West Consulting Group.
  By Stan Crock