Protective apparel manufacturer headquartered in the US, Kappler, Inc., has announced that with its recently acquired Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB) certification, the company is providing a new set-aside option to government contractors with its unique product category of chemical and biohazard protective apparel plus specialised fabric technology.

Now certified as a WOSB in the System for Award Management and the SBA’s (Small Business Administration’s) WOSB certification repository, Kappler provides a wide range of chemical and biohazard garments. The company also specialises in custom R&D support for unique fabric applications.

The WOSB status allows Kappler to help federal agencies and large companies meet small business goals through the WOSB set-aside programme. Kappler offers the added benefit of a Made in the USA pedigree, a huge plus for military and other government work.

Laura Kappler-Roberts, company president and CEO said, “We’ve already done significant government-related work for NASA, the Navy, Lockheed Martin, and others. The WOSB certification is a natural progression for our family-owned business, and will allow us to expand our expertise to a wider base.”

In addition to its Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) products, Kappler has extensive experience supporting government projects with specialised R&D solutions. That history includes NASA work for an ammonia-protective hood for International Space Station astronauts, and a ballistic fabric parking garage for the lunar rover. Other development projects range from a deep-dive suit for the US Navy for hydrocarbon fuel protection, to nanoscale fabric development for Aberdeen Proving Grounds. (GK)