Shawmut Corporation, headquartered in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, is creating new Military and Protective Materials business unit that will apply the company’s advanced materials, textile manufacturing and process innovation techniques to produce high-quality, US-made, ultra-high-specification technical fabric solutions.

Shawmut’s military and protective solutions include waterproof, windproof, flame-resistant and chemical and biological protection functionalities and are ideal for high-stakes uses by military and in-the-field professionals who need high-performance gear to safely do their jobs.

The new business unit is a natural extension of Shawmut’s 105-year history in advanced materials manufacturing and builds on the company’s deep experience. Dating back to World War I, Shawmut has been supplying engineered materials and garments for critical military applications. It is also widely recogniaed as a leading producer of laminated components for high-performance technical fabric applications, such as wind, flame and water resistance used in rainwear, packs, footwear, body armour and more.

“Military personnel and other high-performing individuals in the utility industry are living and working in a high-spec, high-stakes world,” said James Wyner, CEO of Shawmut. “Yet, many of the leading market fabrics and designs for military and protective wear are not up to par with the demands of these jobs. We’re excited to leverage our expertise in textile engineering, process innovation and commitment to excellence to produce the highest quality materials for the highest performing individuals.”

Shawmut has hired Noelle Christensen, a seasoned leader in the military and high-performance protective materials industry with more than 20 years of supply chain and business development experience to lead the development of the new business unit. She brings a diverse perspective and wealth of knowledge across textile manufacturing, domestic and federal garment supply chain, business development, operations and innovation to Shawmut.

Prior to joining Shawmut, Christensen spent 14 years at Massif, a developer of advanced flame-resistant clothing for military and other high-performance applications.

“As a previous customer of Shawmut, I can bring a unique perspective to the team, having witnessed its engineers solving seemingly unsolvable problems,” she said. “I am excited about how much more Shawmut has to offer than the market is aware of, such as the ability to quickly solve complex problems and test products on the fly for rapid innovation.”

www.shawmutcorporation.com