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Safe-Ports signs deal with Force Protection subsidiary
By Dan McCue
Staff Writer
Force Protection Industries Inc., a subsidiary of Ladson-based armored vehicle manufacturer Force Protection Inc., has partnered with Safe-Ports Inc., an affiliate of logistics firm CaroLinks, to ship spare vehicle parts to U.S. military customers.
In a statement issued by both companies, Force Protection said developing the contract was part of an effort to provide enhanced shipping expertise in the transit of spare parts for its armored vehicles.
“This is an important agreement for our continuing operations,” said Phillip Owens, Force Protection Industries’ vice president for integrated logistics. “Safe-Ports provides the needed surge capability to meet expanding customer needs.”
In addition, Safe-Ports’ involvement will reduce the lead time and operating costs on shipments, he said.
Tommy Pruitt, government communications and public relations director for Force Protection said the partnership will enhance what the company is already doing to provide spare parts and support its vehicles in the field.
“As the number of fielded vehicles is growing exponentially, we needed the capability to meet rapidly growing customer demands in support of those fielded vehicles and the associated spare parts to keep the operational readiness of the vehicles at an extremely high level,” he said.
The announcement represents a change of fortunes for Safe-Ports/CaroLinks, which last year was the subject of a securities-related investigation by the state attorney general’s office and two civil lawsuits filed by some investors. One of those suits has been settled.
Alan Capper, a spokesman for Safe-Ports, said the contract is one example of the direction the company has been moving in since selling its options on more than 800 acres in Orangeburg last October.
“It’s not only a very important contract, it is a worthy contract,” Capper said. “Lucy’s (Safe-Ports’ CEO Lucy Duncan-Scheman) pleased to be working on something that’s helping our troops in the trouble spots of Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Capper said the company will have several announcements in the months ahead about similar contracts.
Dan McCue is a staff writer for the Business Journal. E-mail him at dmccue@setcommedia.com.
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