One hundred jobs created at Plasan USA
NEAL GOSWAMI, Staff Writer
11/20/2007

BENNINGTON — More than 100 new manufacturing jobs are being created in Bennington thanks to defense contracts procured by Plasan USA to supply armored vehicles to protect U.S. troops in Iraq, according to Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy.
   "Let me tell you what this means for Bennington. It means growth for Bennington. It means great pride for the people of Vermont," Leahy said Monday at Plasan USA's Bennington plant. "This is going to benefit all of us, especially all of our men and women in the service."
   Leahy, D-Vt., a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said more than $18 billion have been awarded for the Department of Defense's Mine Resistant Ambush Protection program, which provides armor plating for military vehicles.  Leahy said Plasan USA's contract, and others around the country, will help protect American troops from improvised explosive devices that have caused death and injury for many soldiers in Iraq.
   "Roadside bombs are the greatest danger to our forces. They kill and maim the majority of our young men and women," Leahy said. "Every American, whether they support the war or not, believes that our troops should have the best equipment and the best protection so long as they're in harm's way."
   Leahy said the DOD plans to secure at least 20,000 MRAP vehicles for use in Iraq which provide more protection than the current armored vehicles being utilized. Plasan, which partnered with International Truck, the lead contractor, was one of three teams to win a contract. Leahy said the team is bidding on additional contracts that could add even more jobs to the area.
   "Plasan has proven to be a leader at protecting our sons, our daughters, our neighbors, our friends, from these kinds of hazards," said Leahy.  Plasan is an advanced composites firm that also produces parts for automobile manufacturers that is owned by Plasan SASA, an Israeli company. Dan Maneely, business consultant for Plasan USA in Bennington, said the company currently produces front fenders for the Chevrolet Corvette and will soon make three parts for the Chrysler Viper.  The defense contract has allowed for the company to move it's armored division to the former U.S. Tsubaki site, a 78,000 square-foot facility. The automotive division will expand in the company's existing facility.
   "Automotive is growing, it needs the space here and armor needs space," Maneely said. "This is a very exciting company that we have going here and we're all very excited about the rapid growth. I've been with this thing a long time and I've seen it grow from just a few employees to something quite a bit bigger."
   Plasan USA purchased the automotive section from Vermont Composites, another Bennington-based company in Sept. 2006. Since then, Plasan has jumped from 60 to 120 jobs, said Maneely.  Human Resources Manager Ann Thomayer said 15 of the 100 or so jobs have already been filled. The company is hoping to finish filling the positions by March. She said the manufacturing positions will start at $11.50 per hour.
   "Over my lifetime I've seen a lot of manufacturing here in southern Vermont. I want to tell our friends in Israel, you're going to see the best anywhere right here from these men and women," Leahy said.

November 20, 2007
By PATRICK McARDLE  Rutland Herald Staff

BENNINGTON — Plasan USA has reached an agreement to expand its Bennington operations to a new building and add more than 100 jobs by March.
       The announcement was made by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., on Monday. Plasan is expanding in response to a contract to armor vehicles promoted by Leahy in his role as a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and its defense subcommittee.
   The subcommittee writes the Senate's contribution to the defense budget. This year, that included more than $18 billion for the Mine Resistant Ambush Protection (MRAP) program, Leahy said.
   In June, Plasan announced that it had become part of a $623 million contract to supply armored vehicles for the U.S. Marine Corps won by the Navistar International Corp. military subsidiary, International Military and Government, LLC, in Warrenville, Ill..
   Under the contract, International Military will provide 1,200 mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles called the International MaxxPro.  According to Leahy, the Department of Defense is planning to buy almost 20,000 MRAP vehicles because they provide greater protection than the military's current armored vehicles.
   Plasan and International Military are bidding on additional contracts made possible by the $18 billion, which was only added to the military budget in the last two months. If the bids are successful, there may be even more jobs added to the Bennington plant.
   Plasan USA is the American arm of the Israeli manufacturer Plasan Sasa. In September 2006, Plasan purchased the automotive parts division of Vermont Composites. Through the expansion, the automotive parts division, which manufactures the front bumper for Chevrolet Corvettes and parts for the Chrysler Viper, will remain on Shields Drive.  The division which provides armor for vehicles will move to a 78,000-square-foot building on Bowen Road that once housed US Tsubaki.
   Daniel Maneely, a business consultant who has worked with Plasan and Vermont Composites through the expansion, said the company will be adding manufacturing, engineering and administrative positions.  "We're very excited about the rapid growth," Maneely said.  The Bowen Road plant will manufacture armor to protect vehicles from roadside bombs.
   "Every American, whether they supported the war or not, believes that our troops deserve the best equipment, the best protection, as long as they're in harm's way," Leahy said.  Leahy said he believed Plasan's products could have applications to law enforcement as well.
   After announcing the expansion, Leahy was given a tour of the plant. The employees there impressed him, he said.  "[Plasan] could have gone anywhere in the country but the quality of the workers in Vermont made the difference. With manufacturing like this, there has to be top quality in everything because people's lives are at stake. … As a Vermonter, I'm delighted to see the work coming here," he said. Maneely said the company had looked at locations in Massachusetts and New York before deciding to expand within Bennington.
   Many of the employees Leahy met at the plant told him stories of relatives who were serving in the armed forces and stationed overseas, he said.  While manufacturing jobs have been leaving many areas of Vermont, including some high-profile job losses in Rutland recently, Bennington continues to see its industrial employment needs increasing.  Ann Thomayer, human resources director for Plasan USA, said the automotive arm of the company still had 20 to 30 jobs to fill.  "We've been doing OK but it definitely has its ups and downs. All the manufacturers are competing for the same people," she said.  The company is also planning to add more than 40 workers to the automotive division over the next few months.