In addition to emblems for cars, Ulbrichts also manufactures ballistic helmets for the police and military. The high-tech company based in Schwanenstadt, Upper Austria, is committed to the high VPAM protection standard and supplies not only the Austrian police but also the majority of Europe’s special police forces. The export quota is 90 percent and Ulbrichts, with 300 employees, is once again moving towards an annual turnover of 50 million euros. An interview with VP Marketing & Communications Thomas Poandl.
Mr. Poandl, what makes the VPAM standard so special? The abbreviation stands for “Vereinigung der Prüfstellen für angriffshemmende Materialien”. Using the example of a 9-millimeter projectile, this means that helmets with the lower NIJ standard stop the projectile, but only helmets with the VPAM HVN2009 standard stop it in such a way that the residual energy transfer acting on the skull is less than 25 joules. Above this threshold, injuries are sometimes fatal, but not below. Depending on the helmet and additional equipment, such as the Fortis forehead shield, real protection (stopping and trauma protection) is also provided up to caliber 7.62 millimeters (.308 NATO). 
Why are Ulbrichts helmets mainly used by the police and not by the military? That has to do with the past. In the past, the threats to soldiers were primarily splinters. For the police, it was and still is projectiles. However, this has changed due to new threat scenarios and protection against projectiles, both from pistols and long guns, is necessary here and there. While police officers only wear helmets on special missions, soldiers wear them all the time. For this reason, armies often opt for lightweight helmets. Because more protection also means more weight. The parameters of a helmet can be thought of as a triangle of protection, weight and ergonomics. In the long term, I think there will have to be a rethink about the required protective effect of helmets and armies will also have to switch to higher standards. Human lives – whether police or military – should be equally protected.
“Human lives – whether police or military – should be equally protected.”
In future, you would also like to supply the Austrian Armed Forces(-> click here for the latest army news) and other armed forces. What is your strategy for this? We have had the Optio and Optio+ helmet model on the market since the start of 2023. It offers the highest level of protection in accordance with the VPAM HVN2009 standard, but in the lightest version (High Cut) with a weight of 1.25 kilos without accessories, it is competitive with other suppliers with a lower protection standard, such as the common NIJ IIIA standard for military helmets. Austria is a tough place. The Austrian Armed Forces would already be an enabler for international business. However, we were unable to bid for the last tender for helmets due to the specifications regarding helmet weight. https://militaeraktuell.at/wir-muessen-faehigkeitsluecken-schliessen/ Which helmets are customers currently asking for in particular? At trade fairs, we are increasingly noticing that the aesthetic aspects of helmets are becoming more important. Helmet wearers often look in the mirror as soon as they put it on. Inspired by Hollywood films, the coolness factor and low weight when wearing helmets are an issue. In terms of shape, the trend is towards a high-cut, i.e. a wide, raised shape. But there is also the customer group – especially special forces – who don’t care about looks and weight, because they want the highest possible protection. Keyword Ukraine war and increasing arms expenditure in many countries: Are you benefiting from this? No, because we are very police-heavy. And high spending on national defense always leads to a decrease in spending on internal security. For a long time, the focus was on internal security due to terrorist attacks. This has now changed, but our new product range provides an answer for procurements in both departments.
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