Safariland

The company was founded in Sierra Madre, California in 1964 by Neale Perkins, following his father's request for a custom holster. He named his new company after the African safaris he and his father took together.{{cite journal|journal=American Rifleman|title=Safariland Holsters|year=1966|publisher=National Rifle Association|page=101|first=K.|last=Smith}}

In 1996, American Body Armor and its shareholders joined forces to form Armor Holdings, a diversified holding company with three manufacturing sites. Over 11 years, Armor Holdings acquired various brands in the law enforcement industry, including Safariland,{{cite news|date=October 1, 2012| last= Barnett|first=Cynthia|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-304941990.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018205056/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-304941990.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 18, 2016|title=Safariland

|newspaper=Florida Trend }} which was acquired in 1996.{{Cite web|url=https://www.jacksonville.com/article/20120730/NEWS/801249685|title=Jacksonville manufacturer of body armor part of $124 million sale|last=Bull|first=Roger|website=The Florida Times-Union|language=en|access-date=2019-07-29}}

In July 2007, BAE Systems acquired Armor Holdings, renaming the Armor Holdings Products Group the BAE Systems Product Group, of which Safariland was a part. In August 2008, this division was renamed Safariland.{{cite news|date=August 2, 2012| url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-33302197.html| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140921204314/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-33302197.html| url-status=dead| archive-date=September 21, 2014|title=Warren Kanders to Buy Safariland from BAE Systems|newspaper=Manufacturing Close Up }}

In May 2012, BAE Systems announced that Safariland would be sold to an acquisition vehicle affiliated with Kanders & Co., Inc.; sale was finalized at the end of July 2012 for US$124 million.{{cite news| url=http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2012/07/30/safariland-sale-finalized.html |title=Safariland sale finalized for $124 million |newspaper= Jacksonville Business Journal |first= Michael |last=Clinton|date= July 30, 2012|accessdate= October 25, 2012}}

In March 2013, the company acquired Mustang Survival, a manufacturer of safety and survivability equipment targeting marine and aviation applications in the public safety, military and recreational markets.{{Cite web|url=http://finance.yahoo.com/news/safariland-group-acquires-mustang-survival-200414162.html|title=The Safariland Group Acquires Mustang Survival|website=finance.yahoo.com|date=25 March 2013 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-29}}

Also in March 2013, Safariland established a presence in the EU through the acquisition of Arveka TGS UAB, a designer and manufacturer protective products and equipment, in Lithuania.{{Cite web|url=http://finance.yahoo.com/news/safariland-group-completes-acquisition-certain-133000758.html|title=The Safariland Group Completes Acquisition of Certain Assets of Arveka TGS UAB|website=finance.yahoo.com|date=5 March 2013 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-29}}

In September 2013,the company expanded into the explosive ordnance disposal market with the acquisition of Med-Eng, a manufacturer of bomb disposal suits, robots and specialized tools.{{Cite web|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/safariland-group-acquires-med-eng-123000420.html|title=The Safariland Group Acquires the Med-Eng(R) Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Crew Survivability Businesses of Allen-Vanguard Corporation|date=23 September 2013|website=Yahoo! Finance|access-date=2019-07-29}}

In October 2013, they entered the tactical communication market with the acquisition of Tactical Command Industries, Inc.{{Cite web|url=http://finance.yahoo.com/news/safariland-group-acquires-tactical-command-123000117.html|title=The Safariland Group Acquires Tactical Command Industries, Inc.|website=finance.yahoo.com|date=October 2013 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-29}}

In January 2015, Safariland acquired Atlantic Tactical, the largest law enforcement equipment distributor in the northeastern United States.{{Cite web|url=http://finance.yahoo.com/news/safariland-group-acquires-atlantic-tactical-183345228.html|title=The Safariland Group Acquires Atlantic Tactical|website=finance.yahoo.com|date=20 January 2015 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-29}} The company went on to make other acquisitions in the distribution channel starting in December 2015 with Lawmen's, headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina and followed in March 2016 with the purchase of United Uniforms in western New York.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2015/12/28/safariland-makes-major-east-coast-acquisition.html|title=Safariland makes major East Coast acquisition|last=Werley|first=Jensen|date=28 December 2015|website=www.bizjournals.com|access-date=2019-07-29}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2016/02/23/safariland-expands-in-new-york.html|title=Safariland expands in New York|last=Cannon|first=James|date=23 February 2016|website=www.bizjournals.com|access-date=2019-07-29}}

In June 2015, the company acquired VieVu LLC, a provider of body-worn cameras and digital evidence management software,{{Cite web|url=https://www.geekwire.com/2015/police-body-camera-maker-vievu-acquired-by-safariland/|title=Police body-camera maker Vievu acquired by Safariland|date=2015-06-30|website=GeekWire|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-29}} a division which was subsequently sold in May 2018 to Axon Enterprise, Inc{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-04/the-biggest-police-body-cam-company-is-buying-its-main-competitor|title=The Biggest Police Body Cam Company Is Buying Its Main Competitor|last=Brustein|first=Joshua|date=4 May 2018|website=www.bloomberg.com|access-date=2019-07-29}} including a long term commercial partnership for the provision of holsters.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2018/05/08/axon-reports-record-sales-software-and-sensors.html|title=Axon reports record sales, software and sensors bookings and how much it paid for VieVu|last=Ringle|first=Hayley|date=8 May 2018|website=www.bizjournals.com|access-date=2019-07-29}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.blueline.ca/safariland-subsidiary-vievu-to-be-acquired-by-axon-5426/|title=Safariland subsidiary Vievu to be acquired by Axon|date=2018-05-08|website=Blue Line|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-29}}

In September 2015, Safariland acquired a majority interest in Rogers Holster, a designer and manufacturer of holsters and accessory components,{{Cite web|url=http://www.alacrastore.com/storecontent/MarketLine-Financial-Deals/Safariland-acquires-65-stake-in-Rogers-Holster-Company-2052-113588|title=Safariland acquires 65% stake in Rogers Holster Company - 2015/09/30 - MarketLine Financial Deals|website=www.alacrastore.com|access-date=2019-07-29}} and completed the acquisition of the remainder of the equity interest by the end of 2015.{{Cite press release|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/safariland-acquires-majority-ownership-interest-in-rogers-holster-company-300151257.html|title=Safariland Acquires Majority Ownership Interest in Rogers Holster Company|last=Group|first=The Safariland|website=www.prnewswire.com|language=en|access-date=2019-07-29}}

In January 2017, the company continued its international expansion with the acquisitions of Aegis Engineering/LBA in the UK and Pacific Safety Products, Inc. in Canada.{{Cite web|url=https://www.technicaltextile.net/news/safariland-group-completes-acquisition-of-three-companies-203498.html|title=Safariland Group completes acquisition of three companies|last=www.fibre2fashion.com|website=www.technicaltextile.net|language=EN|access-date=2019-07-29}}

Safariland manufactures and distributes a wide range of safety and survivability equipment for the law enforcement, public safety, military and recreational markets, under a number of brands, each of which is tied to the Safariland corporate brand.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/13/nyregion/new-york-police-body-cameras.html|title=New York to Pick Start-Up Over the Industry Leader for Police Body Cameras|last=Southall|first=Ashley|date=2016-10-12|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-07-26|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}

Products include body armor under the American Body Armor, Second Chance, and PROTECH brands; holsters, and duty gear under the Safariland and Bianchi brands;  accessories under the Hatch and Monadnock, and other specialty brands; and less lethal products under the Defense Technology brand.{{cite book|last=Wagner|first=Scott W.|title=Own the Night: Selection and Use of Tactical Lights and Laser Sights|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uDfVl5ZmlX4C&pg=PT97|date=22 October 2009|publisher=Gun Digest Books|location=Iola, Wisconsin|isbn=978-1-4402-0371-8|page=97}}

Through its acquisitions, Safariland provides explosive ordnance disposal products under the Med-Eng brand, marine and aviation products through Mustang, personal protective equipment through Aegis/LBA and PSP, and communications equipment under TCI.{{cite news|date=April 1, 2008| url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-178797434.html| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140921204317/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-178797434.html| url-status=dead| archive-date=September 21, 2014|last= Laska|first= Paul|title=Shot Show 2008: a report for the forensic and technical investigator|newspaper=Law Enforcement Technology }}{{Cite web|url=http://www.safariland.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-tsg-Site|title=Law Enforcement Products|website=The Safariland Group|language=en|access-date=2019-07-29}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.safariland.com Official Site]

{{Jacksonville Corporations}}

Category:Law enforcement equipment

Category:Body armor

Category:Handgun holsters

Category:Manufacturing companies based in Jacksonville, Florida

Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1964

Category:Multinational companies based in Jacksonville

Category:1964 establishments in California