Shaffer
05-29-03, 08:32 AM
A local glove manufacturer is lending U.S. troops a helping hand.
Manzella Productions Inc. of Buffalo supplied the U.S. Marines in Iraq with 500,000 grip-enhanced glove inserts featuring its exclusive control dot palms over the past year. The troops in Iraq used the gloves as an anti-contact glove insert, being worn either under a mitt shell or on their own. The gloves use thermal performance fibers with new advanced grip technology.
Last month, the company signed another contract to supply the Defensive Supply Clothing Department with another 50,000 pairs.
The contracts with the military represents a growing niche for the Buffalo company, said Rose Berendt, knit product manager.
"The 500,000 (glove) contract was a little over $1 million. That was our first military contract and that was gigantic for us," she said. "Based on our commercial customers, that was a great hit.
"Right now, about 9 to 10 percent (of sales) is military-related," she said. "We're hoping to grow it, definitely."
The gloves Manzella sent over to the Marines features a new advanced grip technology, which uses a softer yarn that produces a more moveable glove and replaces a wool liner previously used by the military.
"It's softer and doesn't really rash against your skin. Plus it's very durable material," she said. "We did some testing and found it was equal to or even greater than the liners the Marine Corps had so they decided to go with our product."
http://buffalo.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2003/05/26/story4.html?t=printable
Manzella Productions Inc. of Buffalo supplied the U.S. Marines in Iraq with 500,000 grip-enhanced glove inserts featuring its exclusive control dot palms over the past year. The troops in Iraq used the gloves as an anti-contact glove insert, being worn either under a mitt shell or on their own. The gloves use thermal performance fibers with new advanced grip technology.
Last month, the company signed another contract to supply the Defensive Supply Clothing Department with another 50,000 pairs.
The contracts with the military represents a growing niche for the Buffalo company, said Rose Berendt, knit product manager.
"The 500,000 (glove) contract was a little over $1 million. That was our first military contract and that was gigantic for us," she said. "Based on our commercial customers, that was a great hit.
"Right now, about 9 to 10 percent (of sales) is military-related," she said. "We're hoping to grow it, definitely."
The gloves Manzella sent over to the Marines features a new advanced grip technology, which uses a softer yarn that produces a more moveable glove and replaces a wool liner previously used by the military.
"It's softer and doesn't really rash against your skin. Plus it's very durable material," she said. "We did some testing and found it was equal to or even greater than the liners the Marine Corps had so they decided to go with our product."
http://buffalo.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2003/05/26/story4.html?t=printable