Kontek Receives $2.4 Million Grant For Research and Testing
Grant finalized in defense spending bill signed by President Bush
New Madrid, Mo., August 5, 2004 — Kontek industries announced today that it has received a $2.4 million grant from the federal government for research, engineering development, and deployment of blast-resistant barriers and barrier standards for homeland defense. The grant became official today when President Bush signed the Fiscal Year 2005 Department of Defense Appropriations bill. The funds will be used in partnership with the University of Missouri-Rolla and the University of Missouri-Columbia to establish functionality and architectural standards for barricade systems
"We are thrilled to receive this grant and look forward to further identifying and developing new products with our partners at the University Missouri-Rolla and Columbia that will meet the evolving needs of government and the private sector," said Don Utz, president of Kontek industries. "This grant would not have become a reality without the strong support we received from Representative Jo Ann Emerson, (R-MO), said Utz.
Utz noted that such barriers will reduce, and in some cases prevent, serious damage to structures resulting from terrorist bomb attacks. Lives will be saved and the intensity of injuries will be reduced within these protected structures when attacked. A wide variety of commercial and expedient barricades are currently in use by the military to secure infrastructure at bases in the US as well as in deployed operations.
"In today's world there is a need to create effective blast-resistant barricades that act not only as personnel and vehicle barriers, but also provide defense against blast effects, said Utz"
Kontek, a HUBZone company based in New Madrid, currently provides crash barriers for perimeter security to 12 nuclear facilities in the United states as well over 1,500 modular blast barriers to United States Air Force Force Protection to protect critical assets.
About Kontek Industries
Kontek Industries, headquartered in New Madrid, Mo., manufactures the world's most technologically advanced vehicle and delay access barriers, blast resistant barriers, guard house shelters, and telecommunication shelters in its 150,000 square-foot facility. Kontek is an SBA-designated HUBZone (Historically Underutilized Business Zone) company. This designation provides Federal contracting preferences to small businesses operating and employing workers in these designated areas of the country.
HOMELAND SECURITY FORCE PROTECTION
Kontek Advantages
Blast Design — Kontek manufactures Massive Modular Barriers (MMBs). They are designed to deliver a massive, virtually indestructible, physical security barrier capability. The MMBs were designed to resist bulk high explosive and linear threat weapons.
Kontek works with the University of Missouri-Columbia and Rolla's Rock Mechanics and Explosive Design Center. The University of Missouri, which is a leading researcher in the field, has had extensive Department Of Defense blast design experience and collaborates with the Army Corps of Engineers Explosive Research and Design Center (ERDC).
Blast Barrier Experience — To date, Kontek has provided over 1,500 modular blast barriers to USAF Force Protection to protect critical assets.
Crash Barrier Design — Kontek manufactures the only stand-alone, Department of State-tested and -rated K8-L2 and K4-L1 vehicle barriers. The company has successfully full-scale tested DOS K4 & K8 crash barriers. K4 (15,000 lb. vehicle at 30 mph). K8 (15,000 lb vehicle at 40 mph, actual recorded impact 44.6 mph). Our design engineers, consultants, and University of Missouri experts used this actual live crash data to increase barrier size to defeat a vehicle weighing 5,000 lbs more, at 6 mph faster speed resulting in a confirmed barrier design of a 20,000 lb. vehicle at 50 mph.
- Barriers have internal barrier to barrier connection.
- All Kontek barriers are stand-alone. No foundation required.
- No construction required.
- Rapid deployment.
- Barriers have cast in chase slot on back to run conduit for electric, video cables, alarm wire, etc.
- Barrier design allows for mounting poles on barriers for cameras, lights, etc.
- Modular stand-alone design allows barriers to be moved in the event emergency vehicles need additional access.
- Modular stand-alone design allows for various placement configurations and fast, simple and economic add-on protection should the threat level increase in the future. Various surface architectural finishes such as brick, inset panel frame, exposed aggregate, and a painted surface are available as an option on all concrete passive barriers.
For further information please contact Don Utz at:
Kontek Industries
P.O. Box 98
New Madrid, MO 63869
Tel. 573-748-5561
Fax 573-748-2828
www.kontekindustries.com
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