For more than 170 years, family business BCB International has developed life saving and protective equipment for the defense, outdoor and marine sectors for multiple countries worldwide. Their motto, CANEI, which stands for Continuous And Never Ending Innovation, has led them to create thermal camouflage, blast boxers, and most recently, a low-carbon cooking fuel, Fire Dragon.
As a top provider of survival gear, BCB International survival equipment includes multispectral camouflage systems and blast resistant gear, which they now provide to Ukrainian troops on the front lines. Recently acquired by Wescom Group, the company opened a new factory in Ukraine to easily provide their products to the army. By addressing a broader range of battlefield threats, BCB International pushes the boundaries of protective gear which has led them to become one of the top suppliers in the world.
BCB’s Innovation Prowess
In 2009, BCB international developed the ballistic underwear for the British and American armies during the Afghanistan war. The “blast boxers” protect the groin area from an upward blast on the battlefield, which could be fatal to anyone. The boxers are made of a special ballistic fabric that strengthens when washed, unlike some other variations on the market which use silk. Developed in 10 weeks, this urgent operational requirement was the first of its kind, and as of 15 years later, it has saved many thousands of lives in operation. “They’re very comfortable,” said Andrew Howell, managing director. “I’ve run a half marathon in them.”
Now, they’re working on F.A.T.S., a Floating Arm and Torso System – floating body armor. Commissioned by a South American country, the body armor includes a life jacket, creating the first life raft survival kit. “The unique thing about our system,” explains Howell, “is we put the life jacket under the body armor, so the body armor protects the life jacket – because if you have a life jacket and it’s got a hole in it, it’s useless.”
About 3 years ago, Marines were coming in on a beach landing, when the boat flipped over and they drowned in a few meters of water because of the heaviness of their equipment. With the life jacket, it automatically inflates in emergencies, and can even survive bullets to the material, as demonstrated through tests.
In another vein of saving lives, BCB has recently developed a multi-spectral camouflage cloak with UK forces. An infrared camouflage cloak that offers concealment across visual, thermal, and infrared spectrums, it protects in all circumstances. “Literally, I call it the Harry Potter cloak of invisibility,” says Howell. A new groundbreaking technology, Multi-Spectral Camouflage (MSC) offers a new level of concealment for both personnel, platforms and vehicles on the battlefield, and has been used in Ukraine on the front lines, as it is designed to counter the most advanced surveillance technologies. Able to block out the thermal spectrum, which is the biggest spectrum of vision, this camouflage gives soldiers an advantage in safety and ability to evade detection, allowing them to operate with greater freedom and security.
“we’ve been doing survival for 50 years, and now with the war, everyone now realizes survival is a big part of combat.”
“Especially with our multispectral camouflage and stuff here, they’ve realised the drone warfare [is a big part of that],” says Howell. “With the drone, you see on a day or night through the trees the heat of the person, the vehicle, the tent. So our thermal camouflages the heat.”
The company has also put Kevlar Aramid into their camouflage net, which can catch drones used for surveillance. “That’s body armor,” says Howell. “To not only protect you thermally from the cameras, but to save you if the drone tries to crash into you.”
BCB also worked recently on another product called Fire Dragon Fuel, a no smoke, low-carbon fuel, which is able to be burned anywhere, any time. The Fire Dragon Fuel is a block of solid alcohol made of waste vegetation, which is then fermented. When burned, there is almost no flame, which means it will give very little carbon back into the atmosphere. It also works as a sterilization, almost like hand sanitizer.
Developed with the intention to save lives, the fuel is now being produced in BCB’s factory in Ukraine, ensuring the fuel price point is as low as possible to be able to get it out to anyone who would need it most. With this waterproof fuel, Ukrainian troops are able to use it for cooking in confined spaces, such as on dugouts or on the frontline, and civilians can use the fuel if they have no power or heat. Made from mostly waste vegetation, it is believed to be the only truly environmentally friendly solid fuel in the world.
Committed to Sustainability
The company’s ESG credentials– Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance– which are sustainability credentials in the UK, are very high, and they are always working to build sustainability into everything they do. Currently, they have a refurbishment program for their body armor, and also offer three-sizes fits all armor- instead of eight sizes that require measurements and time that special forces in Ukraine don’t have access to. If a soldier for any reason is done with their body armor, it is easier to pass on to someone else quickly instead of having to go through a whole process of measurements. Very little of their armor is from China or the Middle or Far East; a lot of what they make and produce is British or British made and sourced locally.
In a world where survival technology is more crucial than ever, BCB International continues to push the boundaries of innovation. From blast-resistant gear to advanced camouflage and eco-friendly fuels, their products are designed to save lives on and off the battlefield. With a strong focus on sustainability and a hands-on approach to modern challenges, BCB International shows no signs of slowing down— “anything that I’ll save your life, protect your life, and help save the environment as well, is what BCB will make,” says Howell.
