Protective Clothing and Gear: Body/Vehicle Armor, Fire, Chem/Bio

Abstract

The advanced protective garment and gear industry plays a crucial role in the protection of military personnel, firemen, police officers, oil and gas field workers and a host of chemical process industry and industrial workers. Concerns for personnel safety, including protection from death and disabling injuries and illnesses, as well as civilian and military force protection from the specific dangers of chemicals, biologic agents, fire, projectiles and explosives, result in a fragmented and diverse industry devoted to personal protective garments and gear. To serve this industry, a large number of high-performance materials and combinations of these materials have been developed.

Protective apparel and associated gear is undergoing growth in many sectors as a result of terrorist activities and subsequent geopolitical events. Tracking and predicting growth related to these events, as well as examining offsetting growth factors, are major reasons for doing this study.

This comprehensive BCC analysis provides a view of the major trends within the personal protective garment, armor and associated equipment industry. Five-year market projections are provided to quantify market size and paradigm changes, and identify some of the new technological as well as continuing technological needs.

SCOPE OF STUDY

The report contains:

• Detailed examinations of protective clothing and equipment in the categories of body and vehicular armor, heat and flame-resistant clothing, chemical protective garments and equipment, and respirators for fire and chemical/biological situations
• Analysis of their varied distinctive purposes, components, composition and standards, the entities that use them, the conditions under which they are used and the manufacturers of both components and the final products
• Analysis of current and future market growth and trends within that sector with forecasts to 2010
• Discussion of players in each industry, including government organizations that create and enforce regulations and standards, raw material suppliers, fiber manufacturers, mills and fabric producers, armor and finished goods manufacturers, and suppliers and distributors.