Avon Protection Awarded NATO contract for CBRN Protective Boots and Gloves 

Avon Protection has been awarded a three-year contract, with two optional one-year extensions, by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) for CBRN protective boots and gloves, the company announced on 18 July 2023.

The framework contract will allow NATO nations and partners to place orders for Avon Protection’s Exoskin-B1 boots and Exoskin-G1 gloves. 

Launched in 2022, the Exoskin range is manufactured from Avon Protection’s proven rubber technology and protects operators against chemical warfare agents, toxic industrial chemicals and biological threats.

The ambidextrous Exoskin-G1 glove features a rubberised outer layer textured to maintain grip in wet conditions and a seamless inner knitted liner that has a conductive tip on both the thumb and forefinger to enable the wearer to handle and operate electronic touchscreen devices.

The Exoskin-B1 boot provides improved durability and agility in the field, with quick-release straps to secure the garment over standard footwear. A highly textured sole improves the wearer’s manoeuvrability in all underfoot conditions.

“This contract further underlines Avon Protection’s close partnership with NATO for the provision of CBRN protection capability,” Steve Elwell, president of respiratory protection for Avon Protection, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “To date several nations have actively deployed the FM50 respirator under the ongoing NSPA framework contract for that system. With the new boots and gloves contract, all NATO nations will now have the ability to acquire our Exoskin products, allowing them to benefit from our wider portfolio of market-leading technologies and to keep their operators safe in the field during CBRN situations.”

Peter Felstead