Armored cars are making a lot of news and noise in the social media groups – As an example, Motor Trend published an article about a Bullet Proof Escalade- the article made some wild claims – this is a link to the article.

It is our opinion that you should not take these types of articles seriously. If you need to educate yourself about armored vehicles and standards, we suggest looking at some of the following material.

If you have to buy or rent an armored vehicle, we suggest an excellent place to start would be reading chapters 15 and 16 of Joe Autera’s book the Professional Guide to Planning, Managing, and Providing Secure Transportation. Also, take a look at our best practices for purchasing an armored vehicle.

Armored Vehicle Manufacturers File for Bankruptcy

Some sad but interesting news is that two of the most prominent US armored vehicle manufacturers have filed for bankruptcy within months.

The first was O’Gara Hess Eisenhardt Armoring Co. If your time working in the profession is measured in multiple decades, you know who they are and what they accomplished. The Scotti School started working with them in the late ’70s; IMHO, at that time, other than OEM, they manufactured the best-armored vehicle available. 
 
From the article:

“One of the oldest, if not the oldest armored car company is closing. The WARN notice from the company dated March 3 states, “Because the company does not have sufficient operating capital to continue making payroll, the company will cease operating and will begin the process of winding down effectively today.”

Texas Armoring Corp in San Antonio, Texas, was the second armored vehicle manufacturer to file for bankruptcy.

All data seems to indicate an ever-increasing market for armored vehicles, but we have two significant suppliers going bankrupt within a matter of months. You remember TAC for their video that went viral seven years in the past, titled “This Is What It’s Like To Be Shot At With an AK-47 in a Mercedes-Benz.”