The Safariland Group Celebrates 50 Years of Industry-Changing Innovations
OutdoorHub 01.13.14
The Safariland Group celebrates its 50th year of providing trusted and innovative life-saving equipment to law enforcement, military, outdoor recreation and personal protection markets. Throughout its history, the company has been committed to developing quality, technologically-advanced equipment, resulting in many industry firsts and 1,875 saved lives. Comprised of 25 leading brands offering at least 2,500 distinct models, The Safariland Group delivers duty gear, body armor, patrol bikes, firearms accessories, forensics products, bomb disposal equipment and much more to its customers worldwide.
“With a focus on saving lives, we are proud of the products and services we have provided to the public safety and sporting communities over the last five decades. Our drive to innovate and continuously improve products that save lives is a culture we truly live by every day,” stated Scott O’Brien, President, The Safariland Group. “We are excited about our company’s future, and with our four newest life-saving brands, we are further committed to expand our offerings and exceed the ever-changing needs of our customers.”
From the company’s early holster designs in founder Neale Perkins’ garage, Safariland quickly grew to become a pioneer in the law enforcement market with its duty gear and body armor products. Since then, the Safariland brand has been recognized for its revolutionary holster retention designs and continues to be a leading innovator of duty gear products.
Throughout Safariland’s first two decades of operations, the company was heralded for being selected by the Los Angeles Police Department for its patented Buckleless belt system, being the first company to successfully design and sell a commercially viable armor product using Kevlar and for changing the holster industry by promoting holster security levels. In the 1980s and 1990s, Safariland continued to transform the industry by introducing the first Level III Retention duty holster and by becoming the first in the industry to achieve an ISO 9001 Standard Certification.
In addition to these revolutionary milestones, the company established two highly recognizable groups who influence the company to continuously deliver high-quality products. “Team Safariland,” formed in 1985, was the first corporate sponsored competitive shooting team in the industry. Over the past 29 years, the team has played an integral role in the company’s research and development efforts for new law enforcement and commercial products. “The Safariland Group SAVES Club” honors military and law enforcement officers whose lives have been saved by the company’s equipment during the line of duty. With their stories serving as an inspiration, The Safariland Group continues its focus on delivering life-saving equipment, reinforcing the company’s mission, Together, We Save Lives.
With so many remarkable milestones through the company’s first 30 years, in 1999 the company was acquired by Armor Holdings, Inc., a global defense contractor. Throughout a span of more than ten years, Safariland was joined by other leading brands such as NIK Public Safety, ABA, Defense Technology, Break Free, Monadnock, SpeedFeed, PROTECH, Hatch, Bianchi and Second Chance. With a strong foundation of product development and a broad legacy of trusted body armor, less lethal and forensics products, The Safariland Group emerged with these credible brands in 2012 through the acquisition by an affiliate of Kanders & Company, a Stamford, Connecticut private investment firm.
In 2013, The Safariland Group introduced the Safariland Ballistics International (SBI) brand to offer concealable armor solutions specifically to the international market. Additionally, the company acquired Mustang Survival, Med-Eng and Tactical Command Industries, and now offers marine, bomb disposal and communication products to its core law enforcement and military customers. While focusing on international growth and continuing innovations within its existing product categories, The Safariland Group offers its products to customers worldwide, and employs more than 2,200 associates who are committed to saving lives.
