Pittards awarded major military glove contract
18 November 2010UK leather makers, Pittards have secured a deal to supply leather to Otto Kessler glove makers based in Pecs, Hungary, in support of a four year UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) military contract. The contract follows the launch of a new camouflage leather developed at Pittards' research department in Yeovil, Somerset. The contract is said to be worth seven figures and Pittards’ share price rose 10% on the news.
The leather to be used is based on the MOD's recently completed new Multi-Terrain Pattern camouflage design and will also include a host of technical advances which will be of specific benefit to the UK armed forces and especially available for personnel deployed in Afghanistan.
‘The armed forces, in Afghanistan particular, are operating across a wide range of environments including desert, woodland, crops, grassland and stone,’ said George Stent, Pittards' Sales Director who was involved with Otto Kessler, other bodies and subsequently the MOD to finalise the contract.
‘For the first time, personnel will be issued with just one pattern for both desert and woodland terrain, meaning they will have ultimate camouflage wherever their operations take them,’ he said. ‘Our new military leather is based on this but also includes a number of required additional key technical benefits such as resistance to water, perspiration and oil plus long life and robustness. There is also another key component - long-lasting supple flexibility to ensure the gloves will give an absolute perfect fit to ensure ease of handling equipment and weapons.
‘With this innovative new leather combined with the expertise in glove making at the Otto Kessler factory, the MOD are ensuring that the British service personnel will be provided with some of the best leather gloves of this type,’ he added.
