Gentex's new HGU-84/P MaxilloFacial Shield was developed for the U.S. Navy. The shield protects the lower face from rotor wash and flying debris and improves voice communications by reducing wind noise.

Gentex Corporation is proof positive that an agile manufacturer can evolve and prosper in the face of dramatic market changes—as long as it stays true to its core expertise.

The Simpson-based company, which today is a major supplier of innovative protective gear to the military, law enforcement and emergency response markets, traces its roots back more than a century to the days when it operated a silk mill on the outskirts of Carbondale. Today the company employs more than 750.

"In simplest terms, we're in the business of personal protection," says John Pullo, vice president and general manager of performance materials. "We're at the nexus of materials science and human physiology and performance. We succeed by staying close to the customer and integrating as many technologies as possible that can be added to the overall solution—including new efforts like nanotechnology and materials joining."

The Start of a New Partnership
In April, Gentex announced a joint technology development project with HaloSource of Redmond, WA, focused on next-generation protective chemical/biological apparel, reactive coatings and air and water purification applications for the U.S. Departments of Defense and Homeland Security.

Being on the leading edge of performance protection technology is not new to Gentex. The company became one of the largest manufacturers of parachutes in the country during World War II. During that same time, Gentex began manufacturing composite-structure parachute boxes from fiberglass mat impregnated with a polyester resin that would protect packaged parachutes.

It was this technology that would completely redefine the company's future. In 1948, the company began working with the U.S. government, adapting the fiberglass composite technology to manufacture a new generation of pilot helmets. The technology soon spread to other markets, both military and commercial, and Gentex continued to grow as it adapted new technologies.

Expanding into Overseas Markets
Today the company is a global market leader that provides protective clothing, helmets, performance optics, communications and respiratory equipment to military, law enforcement and emergency personnel. Thirty percent of its products are sold overseas.

"There don't appear to be any boundaries when it comes to useful materials science technologies," says Pullo, who has been with the third-generation family-owned business for 23 years. "We even amaze ourselves at how many markets are available for innovative technology."

Seeking to maintain its competitive edge, Gentex partnered with Ben Franklin Technology Partners (BFTP) in 1996 on a very specific project—to improve one of the company's staple products, the HGU-56/P helicopter aircrew helmet. The benefits of this collaboration are still being felt today.

BFTP provided $51,000 and connected the company with a research team at Penn State University. "Basically, we wanted some fresh, new ideas on how to maximize the helmet design for manufacturability, make it lighter and improve its protective features," says Pullo. The university team created a computer model that predicted how composite materials would behave under different impact forces and conditions —crashes, maneuvers, combat and so on—then used that model to design the product.

A Sure Sign of Success
"Thanks to all the energy BFTP helped bring to the table, the project was a complete success," says Pullo, who credits the project with enabling them to bring in $22 million in new contracts through 2006. And they've been able to integrate that predictive model to improve and develop many other products.

"These technologies create their own opportunities," says Pullo. "Our success is directly related to our ability to recognize and pursue new technology."

Presently, the company operates four distinct but integrated business units: Helmet Systems, Respiratory Products, Electro-Acoustic Products and Performance Materials. Both Helmet Systems and Performance Materials are located at the company headquarters in Simpson. The Electro-Acoustics Products unit resides in Derry, NH, while Respiratory Products is located in Rancho Cucamonga, CA.

 From the July/August 2006 issue