 |
 |
|
Products |
Company |
Services |
News |
Contact Us |
Conax Florida Corporation
2801 75th St N
St Petersburg, FL 33710
Ph: (727) 345-8000
Fx: (727) 345-4217
About H. Koch & Sons
Company History
The
story of the beginning of the H. Koch & Sons Company is a prime example
of a truly American success story very common from the first decade of
the last century. The company was established in San Francisco in 1909
by German immigrant leatherworker Herman Koch. The original business
was rooted in the design and manufacturing of luggage.
From 1909 until 1945 Koch manufactured quality leather goods, wooden and fiber suitcases, steamer trunks and carrying cases. In the late 1940’s Koch was again recognized as a pioneer company in the fiberglass technology area and acclaimed to have produced “the strongest suitcase in the world” by the American Luggage Manufacturers Association. That acknowledgement gained the company marketable credibility with the US government and lead to entry into being a supplier for the military in instrumentation cases used in nuclear tests at Eniwetok and Johnston Islands in the Pacific. In 1951, after outgrowing the San Francisco facility Koch moved to Corte Madera in Marin County and was recognized at that time for having the largest manufacturing operation in California north of San Francisco.
In the 1950’s H. Koch & Sons, now under the leadership of
Herman’s sons Murray and William, transitioned the company’s
knowledge of strong, lightweight container products into designing and
manufacturing military aeronautical life support equipment. All three
military services and many foreign forces adopted this new line of equipment
in the form of rugged ejection seat survival kits and vacuum packaging
of emergency sleeping bags and life rafts. In the late 50’s and
early 60’s the Koch company carried on that successful momentum
as a DoD design and manufacturing entity into producing patented life
support system components. These products included high precision and
high strength mechanical parachute canopy releases--still commonly referred
to by both users in the US Air Force and Navy as “Koch fittings”.
After relocating company operations to Anaheim, California in the early
70’s Koch developed an automatically inflated life preserver unit
for the US Air Force and Navy. Koch also developed and produced the first
vacuum-sealed life rafts, sleeping bags, and Arctic clothing for use
in ejection seat survival kits. From the early 1980’s up to the
present that initial line of quality products has been expanded, updated
and improved significantly to now include electronic crash impact and
water activated sensors and signal transmission systems and, air, space,
water and land vehicle emergency egress, navigation and task lighting
systems. Also core to Koch’s current portfolio of recently introduced
products are crash- resistant crew and passenger restraint devices for
fixed wing and helicopter aircraft seating, and tactical aircraft ejection
seat equipped crew restraint systems.
The Koch family sold their interests in the company in 1969. However,
the “Koch” brand was so widely known and respected internationally
that subsequent owners have consistently kept the original company identity
intact.
Today…..
Koch... is a thriving and innovative company producing
new products and technology applications to protect and sustain
military personnel from operational threats and adverse environmental
conditions.
Koch... Started by Herman Koch almost 100 years ago;
grown by his sons into specialized areas of military safety equipment
design, and carried further in success by the diverse talents of its
staff, quality suppliers, and our pro-active approach to customer satisfaction
teamwork.
Koch... A name that represents a proud tradition of
excellence and dedication toward life support equipment quality and innovation.
Koch... A company staff culture maintaining a deep commitment
for producing highly reliable systems to ensure the protection and survival
of military and law enforcement personnel worldwide.
Company Profile
H. Koch & Sons, Co. is a privately owned company incorporated in the State of Delaware. The company’s business operations are populated by:
- Strong internal team of research and development focused design engineering, prototyping and test talent,
- 72,000 square foot multi-line manufacturing facility supporting product machining, molding, sewing, plating and electronics assembly activities and operating under a DoD-approved quality management system, and
- Broad customer service field network located in all regions of the US, plus Canada, Europe and the Pacific Rim.
Company Core Product Lines
- Parachute Canopy Releases
- Restraint Systems and Components
- Emergency Lighting Systems- Aircraft and Vehicle
- Sensors and Signaling Systems
- Survival & Personnel Protective Systems
Koch is an Approved Supplier to:
Government
United States Department of Defense
Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps
Defense Logistics Agency
US Department of Transportation
Coast Guard
NASA
US Department of the Interior
Customs Service
Forest Service
Commercial
Boeing
Lockheed-Martin
Sikorsky Aircraft
General Dynamics Land Systems
Bell Helicopters
Martin-Baker Aircraft
Simula Inc.
C.R. Daniels
Skyline
Approved Supplier to:
- United States Dept. of Defense
US Department of Transportation
US Department of the Interior
General Dynamics Land Systems
Boeing
Lockheed-Martin
Sikorsky Aircraft
Bell Helicopters
Martin-Baker Aircraft
Simula Inc. - C.R. Daniels
Skyline
| Home | Products | Company | Services | Contact Us |
| Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions |
© H. Koch and Sons Co. 2003 All rights reserved