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Armstrong Tools, Pelican And UFPT Win $125 Million Defense Contract

TxDoc

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Armstrong Tools, Pelican And UFPT Win $125 Million Defense Contract
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Pelican Products Inc./Armstrong Tools/UFP Technologies

WASHINGTON, D.C. – July 14, 2008 – Armstrong Tools, a division of Danaher Corporation, Pelican™ Products, Inc. and UFP Technologies, Inc. have won a contract to design and build a mobile tool kit for the United States Army and Marines that meets stringent Berry Amendment “Made in the USA” requirements.

Over the five-year, $125 million dollar contract’s life, the companies will manufacture in excess of 96,000 tool kits designed to exceed the demanding requirements of service personnel across the globe.

From top-to-bottom, the contract requires the kit to be mobile and include uniformly branded tools for accuracy of inventory. The case needs to survive rough handling and transport in extreme environments as well as organize parts uniformly with configurable drawers that keep the tools secure, even after the case has been turned upside down while closed.

Each manufacturer is contributing “best-of-breed” elements to the kit that not only meet but exceed all military specs. Armstrong Tools supplied more than 175 forged alloy steel tool pieces designed to operate in the hottest Middle Eastern deserts to the coldest arctic environments. The set can be used for servicing and repairing all forms of armored and conventional vehicles, both tracked and wheeled.

To protect the contents, Pelican Products has engineered their first-ever, dedicated mobile tool case solution that will secure, organize and make the tools virtually impervious to impact and moisture. Case drawers were also engineered to allow multiple configurations for versatile organization. For interior protection and tool control, UFP Technologies, Inc. contributed a closed cell, multi-color foam tray system to secure and organize multiple items and to prevent foreign object damage (FOD) resulting from misplaced tools.

Additionally, the case and its contents must meet an extensive battery of military quality assurance standards. Requirements include impact tests under temperature extremes, water ingress tests after being fully submerged, and a 5 foot drop test while weighted with 200 pounds.

About Armstrong Tools

Founded in 1890, Armstrong Tools, a division of the Danaher Corporation, is a leading full line manufacturer of premium quality and performance industrial hand tools. For more information, visit www.armstrongtools.com. Armstrong Military Tools can be reached 1-800-234-0838 .

About Pelican Products, Inc.

Pelican™ Products, Inc. is the global leader in the design and manufacture of advanced lighting systems and virtually indestructible cases with distribution centers in Barcelona, Spain, Edmonton, Canada, Tokyo, Japan, Shanghai, China, and Adelaide, Australia. The company was acquired in 2005 by private equity firm Behrman Capital. For more information, visit www.Pelican.com or www.behrmancap.com.

About UFP Technologies, Inc.

UFP Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ - UFPT) is an innovative designer and custom converter of foams, plastics and natural fiber products. The company serves its customers through three major brands: United Foam, Simco Automotive, and Molded Fiber; producing a vast array of custom-engineered packaging solutions and component products in eleven manufacturing facilities across North America. Its customers include leading companies in six core markets: Automotive, Computers & Electronics, Medical & Scientific, Aerospace & Defense, Consumer and Industrial.
 
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Nealcrenshaw

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Sounds like fun!! I think this should be no problem for Armstrong,UFP and Pelican, all three are top notch innovators.They should have no probPem developing such a storage unit. I think i would want one of these myself!

Great info!!!
 

Frank Elson

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Not sure about the lights, but I did drive a Land Rover over my case, as per the public relations stuff.
BTW, the guarantee is good:
"The guarantee does not cover shark bite, bear attack and children under five."
 
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Flashlights and Cases are the same company.

Thanks for posting! This is a nice win for us...

We're proud to be supporting our troops!

Steve
 

Stuey

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Wow, I wonder what such a kit must cost!

I also wonder if the tool alloy and treatment will be different than that of Armstrong's regular tool lines.
 

eschoendorff

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That sounds way cool! I take it that Proto was outbid????

Would love to see some pictures of these military kits... hint hint....

WE THE PEOPLE want pictures! We might as well get to see what we're paying for!
 

paramudduck

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Sounds great! They have needed a good system like this for years now.

I'm glad Armstrong was awarded the contract. All the Armstrong products I have have been top notch.

Edit: The way I read it they are designing it from scratch. I would love to get some information on the development process.
 
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MarkH

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When you think beyond ratchets and sockets, the Stanley group in their race to off shore might have found how you can screw yourself when the real meaning of made in USA comes up.

Snap on may have been too high on its bid since they could do it as well as Dahner. Wright and a couple others most likely were too small and the manufactured items they sell are usually from good but not USA companies.
 

a390st

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Bears can be rougher than you might think on a piece of plastic, no matter how tough it is. My mother still has an old "indestructible" case of mine that a bear frolicked with at Yosemite about 11 years ago. I also understand the children under five part, because I have had one destroy some things even worse than a bear could. Sharks though, I just don't have any experience with sharks.

I would love to see pictures of all the entries into something like this.
 
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As promised, here are the spanking new pics of the General Mechanics Tool Kit (GMTK). Only the best for our military!

2868766398_deb42284ab.jpg


2868766282_ff6e876f6b.jpg


2867932989_2356370924.jpg


Steve
 

paramudduck

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Wow Thanks for the pics! That would have been great when I was doing heavy equipment work.

Are they going to be available on the civilian market at any time?
 

Flounder

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Steve,

You had better make extra! A lot of those will be "lost" as soon as they hit the field.
 

paramudduck

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Cat_serviceman wouldn't that be great on a service truck? Be worth it's weight in gold. Probably pay for it's self in time saved not searching for or losing tools
 
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CAT_serviceman927

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Yeah. I bet it would be. I am not a field tech, still work in the shop being that I am still in training. I still think it would be great though for the times I have to work out in the yard or up on a large machine. Nothing worse than having to climb up and down a large wheel loader or dump truck 50 times a day just to get a wrench or screwdriver.
 

speed bump

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Yeah. I bet it would be. I am not a field tech, still work in the shop being that I am still in training. I still think it would be great though for the times I have to work out in the yard or up on a large machine. Nothing worse than having to climb up and down a large wheel loader or dump truck 50 times a day just to get a wrench or screwdriver.

I would suggest a bucket boss instead, load it up with the tools you need and pull it up with a rope as soon as you get up there.
 

paramudduck

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You know I've tried that and you still run across stuff you never expected. Especially on heavy equipment you run across field expedient fixes. It works but it's not book. So God only knows what you will need to fix it or remove it.

I've ran across 19/32'd bolts or even metric where none were supposed to be. People just use what ever they have handy to get it fixed long enough to finish the job.

You wouldn't believe the ways people have fastened two parts together just to get a job done. Things welded that should never have been welded.
 

bchee

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how much, roughly, for a set? gov and civilian pricing?


I'd like to see more close up picts of the tools if you have some.
 

paramudduck

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A few larger full body shots. With a drawer layout close up of all drawers?

Hey we are tool nuts here! Titillate us, you would have 2/3's of them drooling.
 

grillmasterp

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received this reply from Pelican
Thank you for your email and interest in Pelican’s protector cases. The General Mechanic Tool Case is already a hot product before we even started making them. With this said, we have a large government order to fill. After this order, I say these cases will be available to those who had ordered them first, as in first come first serve basis. That lead time I say is sometime around March 2009. Orders can be placed sometime around January.

You can contact our customer service toll free number 1-800-473-5422 at least once a month so you can get an update on our new GM case.

Your questions below: Cases will be sold without tools and resembles the 0340 cube case.

I wasn't given exact dimensions but for reference

0340 cube case is
20.50" x 20.50" x 19.25" external
18"^3 internal

http://www.pelican.com/cases_detail.php?Case=0340
 
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HandyManny

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Wow, I wonder what such a kit must cost!

I also wonder if the tool alloy and treatment will be different than that of Armstrong's regular tool lines.

The military will likely pay more for it than you or I would.

I doubt anything will be different in the tools. Likely be the same Armstrong stuff they currently offer. Maybe more blaze orange or florecent red painted tools if they are used to work on aircraft. That helps to prevent tools from being left inside an engine compartment or some such.
 
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When you think beyond ratchets and sockets, the Stanley group in their race to off shore might have found how you can screw yourself when the real meaning of made in USA comes up.

Snap on may have been too high on its bid since they could do it as well as Dahner. Wright and a couple others most likely were too small and the manufactured items they sell are usually from good but not USA companies.

you said it , US supplys being manufactured by enemy hostiles
snapper would have built it here
 

Islands62

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I was lucky to score a Pelican 0450 (empty) last year from a guy who brought two back from A-Stan. Only gave him $50 for it! It makes an awesome, if heavy mobile toolkit.
 
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