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🇧🇪 Belgium /Crime & Justice

Sioen to Produce Bulletproof Vests for Dutch Police in Multi-Million Euro Deal

From VRT NWS · () Dutch

Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Belgian company Sioen has won a contract to produce thousands of bulletproof and stab-proof vests for the Dutch police.
  • The 15-year contract is valued at approximately 150 million euros and will equip nearly 40,000 officers.
  • The new vests feature an innovative, self-attachable armor module for enhanced protection.

The Belgian company Sioen, based in Ardooie, has secured a significant contract to manufacture thousands of new bulletproof and stab-proof safety vests for the Dutch police force. This agreement marks a major recognition of Sioen's expertise in ballistic protection.

We are very proud that we have secured the contract.

— Kristof DaelsSioen's business development manager expressed pride in winning the contract.

The contract, awarded through a public European tender process, has a duration of 15 years and is estimated to be worth around 150 million euros. It mandates the production of vests for nearly 40,000 police officers across the Netherlands. Production is slated to begin next year.

Kristof Daels, business development manager for military products at Sioen, expressed pride in winning the contract. He highlighted that the new vest design is a market innovation, incorporating an "upscaling module" that allows officers to attach an additional armor harness for increased protection. Uniquely, officers can now attach this harness themselves, a process that previously required assistance from a colleague.

This award represents an important recognition of Sioen's expertise in the field of ballistic protection.

— Kristof DaelsDaels emphasized the significance of the contract as validation of the company's capabilities.

Sioen Industries NV, an international industrial group with roots in Belgium dating back to the 1960s, employs approximately 6,000 people worldwide. The company specializes in a wide range of textile solutions, including safety clothing for military applications.

This means that you can place a harness over the vest, which provides higher protection.

— Kristof DaelsDaels explained the functionality of the new 'upscaling module' for the safety vests.

This new contract is expected to create additional employment opportunities, though the exact number of jobs is yet to be determined. While central development will occur in Ardooie, production will be distributed across multiple European locations. The new vests, featuring the innovative armor system, are still awaiting full production.

Specifically and uniquely, the officer can attach the harness himself, whereas previously this had to be done with the help of a colleague.

— Kristof DaelsDaels highlighted the innovative self-attachment feature of the new armor system.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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