Military Awards Wool Contracts

The Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP) awarded contracts last week to three different organizations.

DSCP ordered 20,500 Army blankets from Northwest Woolen Mills from a 2007 contract. The blankets are to be delivered by the end of September 2009. This order will require over 60,000 pounds of clean, grade 60's wool to manufacture and has a $550,000 value.

Sterlingwear of Boston was awarded option-year-orders on an earlier contract for 13,200 Navy peacoats. The peacoats will require 46,000 pounds of clean, grade 64's wool to manufacture and carries a value of $1.5 million.

Burlington Industries received orders from DSCP for three fabrics: 8,400 linear yards of polyester/wool gabardine for Army dress uniforms; 72,000 linear yards of polyester/wool tropical fabric (washable) for Navy shirts; and 150,000 linear yards of polyester/wool tropical fabric (washable) for Navy trousers. These orders will require approximately 35,000 pounds of clean, grade 64's wool. The value of the order is $2.7 million.

"The U.S. armed forces are great customers of the American wool industry as they utilize up to 20 percent of our wool clip each year," stated Rita Kourlis Samuelson, director of wool marketing for the American Sheep Industry Association. "Over the last five years, ASI has been diligent in working with the military to develop the products needed to clothe and to protect our troops."