Local firm wins contract
Kelowna-based PRE Labs Inc. receives $210,468 contract for modular body armour plate system
Kelowna-Lake Country MP Stephen Fuhr announced Tuesday that a Kelowna-based company has received a government contract for what’s being described as a “military innovation.”
Kelowna-based PRE Labs Inc. received a $210,468 contract for its modular body armour plate system. The innovation will be tested by Defence Research and Development Canada.
This highly functional and lightweight modular body armour plate system is designed for use by the Canadian Armed Forces, policing and security personnel across government and the defence and security industries.
Through the Build in Canada innovation program, Public Services and Procurement Canada bridges federal departments that have an operational need with innovative businesses that can fill the gap. The purchasing departments test the innovations in real-life settings and provide feedback, as well as that critical first reference.
Since 2010, BCIP contract awards have helped create 1,684 full-time jobs across the country, generating significant economic impact. This is just one of the many ways the Government of Canada supports innovators, including small and medium-sized businesses, across Canada.
The program has supported 38 companies in B.C. with contracts totalling more than $17 million.
“The government of Canada is committed to providing our women and men in uniform with the equipment and services they need to do their job, at the best value for Canadians. PRE Labs’ innovation will help keep our men and women in uniform safe,” said Fuhr, a former Canadian Forces Air Command pilot. “This is another example of a successful partnership through the Build in Canada innovation program.”
Fuhr said 80 per cent of the firms that benefited from the BCIP have successfully commercialized their products. To date, 50 made-in-Canada innovations have been exported to 44 different countries.
“PRE Labs is honoured to have been awarded a BCIP contract to develop a modular armour plate system for the Canadian government,” said PRE Labs Inc. CEO Brad Field.
“It is a thought-provoking program, which has challenged our designers and engineers to rethink how we produce these types of products. Our expectation is that we will be able to provide the government with an innovative solution that will provide exceptionally high levels of modular ballistic protection to our men and women in uniform.”