Wiltshire-based Avon Rubber’s protection division has landed a multi-million dollar contract with the US government to supply filters for use in gas masks it has already sold to Washington.
Under the three-year contract, which is worth around $38m (£23.4m), Avon will deliver an unspecified number of its M61 filters to the US Department of Defense. These will be fitted to Avon-made M50 respirators used by US combat troops.
Melksham-based Avon expects to complete an initial order worth $11m (£6.8m) in this financial year.
The filters will be made at Avon’s plant in Cadillac, Michigan, and so-called IDIQ (indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity) contract. Avon invested in additional capacity at the plant last year.
Chief executive Peter Slabbert said: “We are seeing growing demand for consumable filters as increasing numbers of Avon mask systems are supplied and issued to the troops in the field. As the sole source supplier of this unique conformal filter, we believe this growth will continue.”
