As the benchmark supplier of trusted, high-quality protective armor, HighCom steps up to the challenge of providing the best possible ballistic armor to US Military and Law Enforcement personnel. The importance of partnering with the top suppliers of high-quality raw materials used in our manufacturing process cannot be understated. With over 20 years of industry experience, we have experimented with, tested, and evaluated every method available for increasing the effectiveness of ballistic materials and design.
Body armor has evolved tremendously over the last decade with advancements constantly made to both materials and design. The materials used in constructing protective armor varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Prior to being sold, all body armor must pass specific tests, meaning that these diverse materials should provide minimum levels of threat resistance.
Along with our partners, HighCom is committed to producing body armor using the most advanced applications and materials available. This means maintaining strong partnerships with the best raw material suppliers available. Several global manufacturers are in the business of developing and refining materials used in body armor. Those companies are competing fiercely to develop the lightest and most durable body armor materials possible.
Because lives are on the line, building great relationships with quality material suppliers is not a second-class priority for us. We partner with some of the top suppliers to furnish the highest quality raw materials and components used in the manufacturing of our products. Over the last two decades, we have learned to treasure our suppliers that work consistently at high levels and abide by our standards. Our raw material suppliers must be part of the value package that we provide to customers. We look at our suppliers as partners that are helping provide our military and law enforcement with the best possible armor protection available to them.
RAW MATERIAL SUPPLIERS
We are fortunate to have forged great partnerships with the below suppliers to provide only the best materials for our products.
DUPONT™
DuPont™ Kevlar® ™ has developed law enforcement and body armor materials for more than 40 years. Kevlar fiber can mean the difference between life and serious injury or death for those in the military, emergency response, and law enforcement. Best known for its use in ballistic and stab-resistant body armor, Kevlar® brand aramid fiber is credited with helping to save thousands of lives. Lightweight and extraordinarily strong, it is used to make a variety of clothing, accessories, and equipment safer, more cut resistant and durable.
TEIJIN ARAMID
Aramid fiber (1961) is a strong, lightweight and fire-resistant synthetic fiber used in aerospace and military applications. By integrating into bulletproof vests, manufacturers involved in soft ballistic protection can confidently and easily offer enhanced user comfort, and protection against all kinds of bullets and fragments, as well as against stabbing with sharp and pointed objects.
HONEYWELL SPECTRA® FIBERS AND COMPOSITES
Honeywell Spectra Shield® and Gold Shield® ballistic materials have been protecting military and law enforcement personnel for more than 20 years. These high-performance composites have been specially designed for comfort and flexibility. Honeywell’s patented unidirectional Shield technology to enhance ballistic properties is manufactured under a comprehensive quality control process.
DYNEEMA® (DSM)
For military and law enforcement officers in high-risk environments, armor made with Dyneema® technologies is raising the protection benchmark. It provides maximum protection in a lighter, flexible solution that enhances comfort, mobility, and efficiency. Body armor manufactured with Dyneema® ballistic panels provide superior protection against a wide range of threats including handgun ammunition, grenade fragments, and knives.
MMI TEXTILES INC.
MMI is a premier fabric supplier in the textile marketplace. MMI produces a family of ultra-thin, ultra-light and wearable protective materials. They value their relationship and commitment to the military and tactical industry.
BARRDAY PROTECTIVE SOLUTIONS
Barrday Protective Solutions is a leader in the design, development, and manufacture of high-performance finished woven and unidirectional materials for protective applications. They produce a wide range of materials for use in body armor applications and work very closely with their customers in both the commercial and military markets to develop solutions using technology.
BROOKWOOD COMPANIES
Brookwood Companies is the premier, integrated source for military, tactical, and performance synthetic and synthetic blend textiles throughout the world.
COORSTEK
CoorsTek is the global leader in technical ceramics. CoorsTek produces ceramic armor components used as the ballistic armor strikeface of lightweight composite armor systems. CeraShield™ ceramics work with appropriate backing systems to neutralize various ballistic threats including armor-piercing rounds and IED shrapnel.
SAINT-GOBAIN
Saint-Gobain’s reliable ceramic materials for composite armor systems have been field-tested and approved for more than 40 years, consistently leading the industry with differentiated solutions. Saint-Gobain’s extensive material portfolio and manufacturing capabilities ensure a solution for any ceramic armor need. Saint-Gobain is vertically integrated, from silicon carbide powder to finished torso plates, ensuring time-tested quality and consistency of our products.
INDUSTRIE BITOSSI
Founded in 1962, Industrie Bitossi is one of the largest global manufacturers of alumina technical ceramics. Industrie Bitossi’s key business area includes the defense industry (armor components).
INDEPENDENT TESTING
The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) established performance standards for body armor and is the performance benchmark for ballistic-resistant body armor. That is why we have partnered with the following companies for independent testing of our protective body armor.
OREGON BALLISTIC LABORATORIES (OBL)
Oregon Ballistic Laboratories is an independent, full-service armor testing lab. OBL is an NIJ certified, NVLAP accredited body armor testing laboratory capable of performing all portions of NIJ Standard 0101.06, including the hard and soft armor environmental conditioning cycles. OBL is also certified by the US Army Aberdeen Test Center to perform testing in the Hard Armor and Soft Armor commodity areas.
NTS CHESAPEAKE
NTS Chesapeake is a state-of-the-art laboratory providing ballistic experimentation in support of munitions and protection systems. The facility is approved by the National Institute of Justice to perform personal body armor testing to NIJ Standard 0101.06 Ballistic Resistance of Body Armor and NIJ Standard 0115.00 Stab Resistance of Personal Body Armor. The laboratory is also approved by the US Army Aberdeen Test Center to perform helmet, hard and soft armor testing.
HighCom is proud to have fostered high-quality relationships with these partner companies to provide the best possible protective armor on the market today
Want to learn more?
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you choose the most effective armor to save lives or check out our latest armor testing videos to see us in action.