J. Blaschke Wehrtechnik GmbH specializes in the manufacture of NBC protective suits. The product range also includes protective equipment, accessories such as rucksacks and bags as well as drip pans and water tanks.
To describe the assembly of an NBC protective suit as complex is a gross understatement. The difficulty begins with the selection of the required materials: the fabric must be highly tear-resistant and coated with NBC-resistant butyl rubber, the highest manufacturing quality is a basic requirement, and the cutting requires special cutting techniques. The many individual parts are then laid out neatly next to each other on tables dozens of meters long, the edges are coated with special adhesive and the parts are then glued together with the smallest of tolerances – and it is precisely this work step that determines the quality of the protective suit. “The end product stands and falls with the bonding technology and the adhesive used,” says Volker Haager. The shirt-sleeved Viennese knows what he is talking about. He has been managing the business of the company, which was founded in 1852, for decades and competitors have tried to copy his ABC one-piece and two-piece suits more than once during this time. So far without success – and Haager is certain: “It will stay that way. The technology and expertise we have built up over the years cannot be replicated overnight – that would require a lot more patience and many unsuccessful attempts.”
As a result, J. Blaschke Wehrtechnik GmbH is more or less unrivaled with its premium products (the hybrid suit even comes with space for compressed air cylinders, fans and a sophisticated ventilation system). https://militaeraktuell.at/bundesheer-in-tirol-hubschrauber-stationierung-ab-2028/ The company currently supplies its protective suits and equipment to almost 30 countries worldwide, the Austrian Armed Forces The Austrian Armed Forces are among its customers, as are the Slovenian, Spanish and Hungarian armies and the German armed forces. And to ensure that this remains the case in the future, the next J. Blaschke generation, Romana and Stefan Haager, are already working on new products – focusing on the big picture, but also on the details.
“And also topics that go below the belt,” says Romana Haager and smiles. There are now some products for men so that ‘he’ can take care of urgent needs while working in a protective suit – but not for ‘she’. “In many NBC troops, however, the proportion of women is comparatively high,” says Romana Haager. “As they can’t relieve themselves while on duty, many women don’t drink anything beforehand. In the heat during a mission, however, there is a risk of dehydration. We are therefore in the process of creating appropriate opportunities for women too.” The Haagers also see potential and development opportunities in many other areas. “We certainly won’t be bored in the next few years,” says Stefan Haager. This may sound almost like a threat to the competition.
Click here for more Made in Austria articles.
