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Gladiator, Inc. Receives $21,900 Workforce Development Training Grant from North Carolina Department of Commerce
November 26, 2007 For Immediate Release
Gladiator, Inc., a producer of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and tactical gear for the U.S. Military and allied forces abroad based out of Kenly, NC, applied for and received the Incumbent Workforce Development Training Grant from the North Carolina Department of Commerce Division of Workforce Development earlier this month in an effort to improve the quality of its workforce in the Johnston County area. The grant provides funding to qualifying North Carolina companies to empower their employees with knowledge and skills to improve work-related processes through education and training initiatives. Gladiator will begin using the funds by working with North Carolina State University Industrial Extension Service to provide educational programs aimed not only at improving the quality of the end-product, but the quality of its employees. “We are specifically targeting the grant toward ISO 9001:2000 compliance and eventual certification, which will allow our company to compete for more government contracts. Ultimately, it will help us increase our workforce and provide more jobs in the Johnston County area,” said Kathryn Tomlinson, CEO of Gladiator, Inc. The funding will be disbursed by the Capital Area Workforce Development Board, which is a group collaboration between national, state, and local governments. It is comprised of volunteers from the public and private sectors who are responsible for planning, oversight, and coordination of workforce initiatives in Wake and Johnston counties. “We want to do everything we possibly can to provide the best quality product for the men and women in the armed forces. Mediocrity is not an option when lives are at stake,” said Joseph Tomlinson, CEO of Gladiator, Inc. Gladiator also handles private contracts, but primarily provides for various branches of the military by making ballistic vests, lightweight MOLLE vests, helmet covers, medic bags, bomb blankets, and LCADS (low-cost aerial delivery system), a newly commissioned product that allows vital supplies to be air-dropped into remote areas, minimalizing the risk of ambush attacks when delivering goods via ground convoy. The company currently has 115 employees and is continuing its expansion as a female owned business. |
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Gladiator takes over at FedTex
March 14, 2007
By Jamie Hodges News Staff Writer Kenly News (link to original article)
A new military supplies contractor, Gladiator, Inc., has moved into the same 23,000 square foot building on 500 West Goldsboro Street in Kenly that was previously occupied by Federal Covers and Textiles, Inc. (Fedtex). “We started up the business around the middle of February and opened up operations on March 5,” said Gladiator President Joe Tomlinson. “We’re in the process of hiring employees. We’ve already hired 50, and plan to cap out at somewhere between 100-125. That number could go up if we get granted more contracts.” Several attempts were made to contact Fedtex former president Lee Curry but, as of press time, voice mail messages were not returned. According to Tomlinson, Fedtex had approximately 75 workers when it closed. Tomlinson added that former Fedtex workers would be given first priority during the hiring process. Gladiator will specialize in making military bulletproof vests, grenade pouches, medical bags and other forms of military wear for the U.S. military. “We have employees who will design, sew and assemble materials together,” said Gladiator owner Kathy Tomlinson, Joe’s wife. Gladiator has secured contracts lasting from three to six months to make medical bags, dump magazine pouches and MOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment) gear. “MOLLE is all of the extra add-ons that goes on the vest,” said Joe. A one month contract has also been granted with Fort Stewart, a military base located near Columbus, Ga., for tactical military gear. Gladiator also makes cargo nets for military transport helicopters. The Tomlinsons live in Greensboro. They commute to Kenly everyday. “We want to develop this location and to expand on it,” said Joe, who added that the corporation expects to have an annual payroll of $2.5 million. “We don’t want to do a big expansion, but we do have plans of expanding. We’re adding workers from the local community, and we’re paying local taxes, which will also benefit the local economy.” The Tomlinsons are optimistic about the corporation’s chances of success within its first year of operation. “We believe there is a market for what we’re selling,” said Kathy. “By bringing out the expertise of our employees, we believe this will benefit the local community, our troops in the military and everyone involved.” |
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Congressman Bob Etheridge visits Gladiator, tours operations,
November 30, 2007 For Immediate Release
Congressman Bob Etheridge, representing North Carolina’s 2nd District in the federal House of Representatives, visited Gladiator’s Kenly facility Thursday to tour the production facility and provide government information and assistance to the company’s leadership. Etheridge, a former member of the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, gave an insider explanation of the ongoing situations in Iraq and Afghanistan, telling Owner Kathryn Tomlinson and company President Joseph Tomlinson it appears that the United States will remain in Afghanistan much longer than initially anticipated according to military generals deployed there. Although the situation in Iraq has many politically contentious facets, Etheridge explained that as long as U.S. forces are there, they will undoubtedly have a need for adequate supplies regardless of politicians’ pro- or anti-war stances. “There may be a lot of rhetoric one way or the other, but at the end of the day our troops are going to have the funding to get the supplies they need,” said Etheridge. Etheridge also explained that although North Carolina is the number three state in the country for number of military bases, the amount of funding allocated for the state falls well below the top ten. According to the American Forces Information Service, North Carolina is occupied by 212,778 members of various U.S. military personnel, which is 9.3% of all military personnel in the country. “We feel that the government should at least give considerations for contracts to companies located within the states that have the most military bases, personnel, or operations,” said Joseph Tomlinson, president of Gladiator. Etheridge’s visit comes just weeks after Gladiator was granted a $21,900 Workforce Development grant by the North Carolina Department of Commerce Division of Workforce Development, which will be used to improve the quality of the workforce in the Johnston County area. The grant will also be used as a springboard for making Gladiator certified by ISO 9001:2000 standards, which ensures quality in management and production systems and fosters continual positive progress, allowing Gladiator to be eligible for many more government contracts. |
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View Photos of Congressman Etheridge’s Visit to Gladiator! |
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More available at the “Press Room” in the “News” section of our website |
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Gladiator, Inc. Receives Three-Year Multi-Million Dollar Contract for Low-Cost Aerial Delivery System
March 27, 2008 For Immediate Release
Gladiator, Inc., a producer of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and tactical gear for the U.S. Military and allied forces abroad based out of Kenly, NC, received an additional three-year multi-million dollar contract to manufacture LCADS (Low-Cost Aerial Delivery Systems), a recently commissioned product that allows vital supplies to be air-dropped into geographically remote or dangerous areas in civilian and military operations. The contract was awarded March 20 by RDECOM (Research, Development, and Engineering Command), a branch of the U.S. Army located in Natick, Mass. and calls for up to 14,000 LCADS units to be made each year. “This contract will provide a more stable base for Gladiator to sustain operations for the next several years and provide for some modest growth,” said Joseph Tomlinson, the company's President. “RDECOM has been impressed with the quality of the products we have made, so this award is a recognition of our high standards.” Gladiator is also near completion of the training process to achieve ISO 9001:2000 certification, a credential that would open the door to more contracts and more jobs to Johnston County. The company expects to be fully certified by the end of the year. Several other items are also currently in production, including bags for the Department of Homeland Security, chemical carrying cases for the Army, tactical bulletproof vests, and a protective covering for helicopter windshields that is still in the developmental phase. |
