The O'Gara Group acquires vehicle armoring company in Texas

CINCINNATI, Jan. 4, 2012 -- /PRNewswire/ -- The O'Gara Group, Inc., a provider of diverse security and defense products and services, announced today its acquisition of Protection Devices, Inc. (PDI) based in San Antonio, TX. PDI is a manufacturer of fully armored passenger vehicles, such as Chevrolet Suburbans, for use primarily by government officials in high threat locations. PDI is one of five suppliers under contract with the U.S. Department of State to provide armored vehicles for the protection of diplomatic personnel worldwide. PDI has approximately 30,000 square feet of manufacturing space and employs approximately 50 people. The former owners of PDI will continue to run the business on a day-to-day basis. The O'Gara Group has no plans to relocate the facility or any of its employees.

The O'Gara Group also announced today that it has signed a lease to rent 36,000 square feet with an option to lease an additional 29,000 square feet in Fairfield, Ohio to open a second armoring facility. The O'Gara Group anticipates that the Fairfield location will be operational in late January 2012.

"We are delighted to be back in the business of armoring vehicles in our own facilities. It has been over ten years since we departed the business after the sale of O'Gara-Hess & Eisenhardt Armoring Company," said Wilfred "Bill" O'Gara, CEO of The O'Gara Group. "The acquisition of PDI expands our relationship with the U.S. State Department and will compliment our new facility in Fairfield, Ohio."

"We are very happy to join with the O'Gara team, among the pioneers in the vehicle armoring business," said Dennis Hendrix and Jorge Resendiz, the former owners of PDI. "We look forward to realizing the benefits of combining the relationships and resources of both organizations to expand our role in the vehicle armoring business."

"Our prior experience in vehicle armoring should position us to compete on several large armoring contracts that are anticipated in 2012," said Tony Russell, President of The O'Gara Group's Mobile Systems Division.

The O'Gara Group is a provider of diverse security and defense products and services to government, military and commercial customers worldwide. Its business is focused on delivering specialized products and services that improve the ability of its customers to prepare for, respond to, and recover from conflicts, civil unrest, acts of terrorism, violent crime and other hazards such as environmental and natural disasters. The O'Gara Group operates through three divisions: Training and Services, Sensor Systems, and Mobile Systems Division.