Defence Feature
Manufacturing for our Aussie troops
By Kate Banville
With a mission to significantly boost defence industry in Queensland by 2028, one veteran owned business is leveraging its military experience to create fit for purpose tactical gear for troops. Specialising in military and tactical gear, Townsville based company Krieger Industries has been scaling its production to meet defence contract requirements domestically and internationally. Founded in 2019 by Army veterans Stewart Locke and Ben Holland, the business has rapidly grown to meet demand, particularly when the coronavirus pandemic highlighted supply chain vulnerabilities due to overseas reliance. With 13 major defence bases in Queensland alone, and the bulk of the Australian Army’s combat capability forces based in Townsville, Co-Director Stewart Locke says the goal was to see their products in every unit. “At the moment troops go overseas into hostile environments wearing gear made offshore, what's the sense in that?” he says. Having an understanding of how equipment is used and worn in the field is a point of difference not many other companies can claim, Ben says. After finding himself making alterations to service gear and that of his colleagues while serving as a Military Policeman, Ben is now the company’s lead designer.
34
He said it's all in the detail. “Without quality materials, stitching, design and fittings like the clips you have serious injury, it’s as simple as that,” he says. “We work with the end user to design the pouch or vest, whatever it is to solve a problem, not just to look good.
“Having actually been in the military ourselves we can add that lived experience to offer suggestions as well.” Carving out a niche identity as a brand making bespoke military and law enforcement gear also caught the eye of the makers of the Netflix action thriller Interceptor, which featured Spanish actor and model Elsa Pataky, who wore a tailor made protection vest while playing US Army Captain JJ Collins. In a business success story to be proud of, Krieger Industries has gone from strength to strength after also securing a Queensland State Government grant earlier this year which allowed them to gain globally recognised certification needed to apply and be competitive for defence contracts.
