Armor Express, Inc. ("Armor Express"), a leading manufacturer and distributor of high-performance body armor solutions, has merged with KDH Defense Systems . By joining forces, the companies now serve the U.S. Armed Forces, the Department of Defense, federal and domestic law enforcement professionals, and various international agencies across the world.

Since Armor Express was founded in 2005, it has been one of the leading suppliers of concealable and tactical body armor systems to law enforcement, with a distribution network spanning the United States and select international markets. The company has also expanded in recent years, becoming one of the largest providers of protective solutions to federal law enforcement, on the heels of recent contract wins with the Department of Homeland Security and other prestigious federal agencies.

KDH is one of the prime manufacturers of protective gear for the Department of Homeland Security and has several contracts with other federal agencies, in addition to its long-standing heritage as one of the largest suppliers of body armor systems to the U.S. Armed Forces. Since KDH was founded in 2003, it has produced various versions of the Outer Tactical Vest (“OTV”), Improved Outer Tactical Vest (“IOTV”), Soldier Plate Carrier System, ATPC Spear system, Modular Scalable Vest (“MSV”), Light Air Warrior System (“LAWS”), Ultra Low Visibility Concealable Body Armor (“ULV-CBA”), and other related products and accessories.

It was also announced today that James R. Henderson has been appointed CEO of Praesidium, the Holding Company that owns both Armor Express and KDH Defense Systems. An industry veteran with over 30 years of operational and financial experience, Henderson also served as CEO of Point Blank Enterprises, Inc. and was instrumental in the Point Blank’s expansion and growth with the U.S. Armed Forces, domestic and federal law enforcement, and internationally. He also was responsible for fostering strategic partnerships with supply chain and technology leaders, while working with the industry to optimize performance and deliver the highest quality solutions to our protectors.

“The combination of Armor Express and KDH is a win for the industry and the thousands of end-users who rely on both companies’ life-saving protective solutions," Henderson said. "Manufacturing capacity, ballistic R&D and carrier design capabilities are significantly enhanced, and the platform for growth has never been stronger. The opportunities to continue to partner with leading fiber, fabric, material and component companies are limitless and together, Armor Express and KDH will drive innovation and deliver the highest-performing body armor systems in the industry. We look forward to working with our partners and exploring ways to improve further.”

Matt Davis, founder of Armor Express, and Dave Herbener, founder of KDH, will both serve as presidents of their respective organizations, reporting to Henderson. Manufacturing of domestic and federal body armor will continue to be performed at Armor Express’ facility in Central Lake, MI, and KDH will continue to produce products for its military, government and federal law enforcement customers at its manufacturing facility in Eden, NC.