Armor article in the magazine, Poder and money

Country risk
Topic: armored
In the 2005: 1,100 requests. last year the Government authorized armoring of trucks.

-Colombia Bogotá March 6, 2006-

$80 million is the average price of shielding a truck.
Shielded business
An indicator that shows the improvement in security is the 20% drop in sales of trucks shielded in the country.
But the industry has reacted to exporting, and business is getting better.

shielded

In a street of Baghdad (Iraq) tool dynamometer or on any road to countries as far away as Nigeria and Kuwait is shooting ‘ Colombian technology. The
good fame achieved thanks to the quality and competitive prices is allowing Colombia to open step in international markets, in a
very moved sector in recent years:
vehicle armouring. Up to European Kings walk in cars proudly armored in Colombia. The national product is demanded
abroad also, due to the momentum of the companies which saw lower sales in the local market before the better perception of security
of the country. Thus corroborates it a benchmarking study performed for 25 multinational companies which are in Colombia, according to which multiple signatures
reduced personnel for the protection of their executives and they are more delayed the renovation or purchase of armoured cars. Earlier, a vehicle
is it replaced every 3 years and now is done every 5 years, in part because the technology has improved, and this makes the vehicle deteriorate less.
The Government points out that the improvement in the levels of perception on the security situation is given by the decrease in the number of kidnappings,
the terrorist attacks and homicides, which is impacting on greater confidence in citizenship. Though many call into question those
figures, lower demand for trucks, armored in Colombia seems to give reason to the Government, because a person does not cease to protect his life and of his
family because authorities say the country is safer, but because their own risk assessment has improved.
Alberto Mejia, director of Mercadeo de Armor International, a company that has 25 years in the industry, acknowledged that it has diminished demand in the country, but production levels
they remain stable because increased sales to Mexico, Guatemala, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru and Argentina. They are even coming to Iraq, India, Africa,
Kuwait and Israel.
According to Mejia while domestic sales fell nearly 20% exports are increasing
at rates close to 30%. In the majority of cases what is done is a temporary importation of the vehicle to be shielding – and belonging
diplomats and executives of multinational-, and then re-export them. It estimates that the number of armored vehicles that are being exported
You can reach 400 units, i.e. nearly 40% of which are sold in the country. The fact that Colombia will have to cope with many situations
violence at the same time has become a “comparative advantage” against other Nations not living similar problems. This has led to companies
to specialize more and more and use new technologies that are attractive on the outside. I.e. a form almost “uribist” convert problems
on occasions. Some national companies have plants in neighboring nations such as Venezuela and Ecuador, which allows them to reach more
easy to more consumers, that as we Colombians are urging protection.
Armor International has distributors in Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela and Argentina.
It is an industry that is becoming. The country is well listed abroad in all the services related to security, ranging from the sale of vehicles
armored to the advice of professionals in this field. Protection in vehicles began to strengthen at the beginning of the 90’s after
the terrorist attacks and was later a market, evolved to cope with kidnappings and bombings.
In tre samba and Ranchera music. After Brazil, Colombia is the second country in Latin America that increased demand has armored,
a business that moves billions of pesos. Followed by Mexico and Venezuela. Our country is also the second producer of the hemisphere,
after Brazil. Figures from the Colombian companies point out that year were they shielding between 900 and 1,000 units, especially
Toyota vans and 4 x 4, a high figure for a country like ours, and that is attributed to the problems of violence in most
cases with robberies, kidnappings, bombings and shootings. The figures coincide with those handled by the Superintendence of surveillance
Private, which is the entity responsible for granting authorisations for the provision of this service, because an armoured car is considered as
a weapon. Last year it passed 1,100 requests. The authorization is relatively easy; the main requirement is to justify the need for the
level of protection. However, other companies argue that the demand in the domestic market remains active because, although have dropped some
indicators of violence like the killings and kidnappings, is giving priority first and foremost you need to be sure.

FOOL-PROOF SECURITY
The cost of the armor of a vehicle depends on the level of protection that requires a client. In levels 1 and 2, which are the basic
and they are used especially to prevent robberies, costs vary between $18 million and 25 million. These do not require authorisation of
the Superintendency of private security. For levels 3, 4 and 5, which are the safety glasses
are they completely changed, doors uses a very tough imported material that holds the impact of guns 9
mm up to submachine guns. Tires are placed with security rings, the floor is coated with anti-ballistic nylon. Also
steel sheets are used to support rifle attacks. In these cases, the price of a shield may exceed $80 million, which added to the
value of the vehicle, which can range between 150 and 200 million pesos.

“We continue with good growth because the Colombians have increasingly more aware that it must be more protected”,
He says an officer of C entigon Colombia (formerly O’Gara H ess & Eisenhardt), who recognizes that the world is becoming a place
more and more insecure, reason for which there is a great scope for this business. In fact, companies
they have developed a whole line of services and they are expanding to sectors such as the transport of troops, mobilizing
values, the elaboration and design of bullet-proof vests and armoured suitcases. But those who want to feel more
insurance must pay a price. Depending on the level of shielding and the characteristics of the car, going from 25 up to
80 or more million pesos. But life is priceless, and so leaders understand that politicians, entrepreneurs and farmers, which according to
the companies are those which require more this kind of vehicles, together with the entities
public. A good protection together with the skill of the driver have saved many lives in Colombia.
An officer of the international factory of shields says that fame earned it because the companies have levels
to respond to attacks such as those that are registered in Iran or Iraq. The other advantage is the price, which can be
less than half of what it costs to shield a vehicle abroad. Centigon says that it has armoured cars
for European royalty and Presidents and dignitaries. It has the technological know-how to serve
any customer requests. In conclusion, an industry is a truly bulletproof.

• Resistant materials imported,
nylon anti-ballistic and sheets of
some of the inputs are steel
they are used in vehicles
shielded from levels 3, 4 and 5, which are
those of greater protection. costs
in these cases, they may rise to $80
million.

• The company Armor International performs several tests to
check the resistance of materials, a
key factor in saving a life.

• Enel armouring of vehicles the
first that will change are the
glass that can withstand the
impact of the bullets.

• Other large business security
they are the shield of bulletproof vests and jackets.

It is estimated that annually are exported
about 400 vehicles, a little less
half of those who are
sold in the market
local. They reach countries as
far away as Iraq…

  * Article published in Poder magazine on March 6, 2006

Open chat
1
Benvenidos
Hola! En qué te podemos ayudar?