Company name: Crye Precision
Headquarters: Brooklyn, New York
Signature Product: Crye Precision
Website: http://www.cryeprecision.com/
1. What was the inspiration behind starting your company?
Crye Precision, the leading manufacturer of truly innovative equipment for America’s fighting forces, was co-founded in 2000 by Caleb Crye and Gregg Thompson. We have devoted ourselves to making uncompromising gear for uncompromising individuals – working hard to provide smart, high-performance, long-wearing gear for people who demand the best. We dedicate a significant amount of time to our end-users, continuously incorporating their experience and feedback into each piece of gear.
From the beginning, Crye Precision focused our efforts on the military, recognizing the reward of serving those who safeguard the freedoms we enjoy every day. Our emphasis on combat apparel and body armor came as hundreds of thousands of troops were being sent to Afghanistan and Iraq in the aftermath of 9/11. Since then, we’ve adapted our design innovation to target the specific needs of law enforcement units domestically and internationally.
We’re most famous for inventing MultiCam , a series of camouflage patterns designed for use in a wide range of conditions. The MultiCam patterns were developed to provide maximum effectiveness across diverse operating environments, with a minimum logistical burden.
2. What is your signature product and how does it work?
Crye Precision’s signature product is our pant line. Understanding that our end-users span a range of professions that demand a unique combination of functionality and aesthetic, we have worked countless hours to ensure every component of the designs are tailored toward the needs of the end users. The combat-proven pants feature integrated knee protection, padded waistbands, and hi-mobility panels for maximum mobility and comfort.
Our other signature product is the Jumpable Plate Carrier (JPC) – a lightweight and minimal vest designed for maximum mobility, weight savings, and packability. At just over one pound for the entire carrier, the JPC offers a variety of configuration options to suit a users’ needs in terms of load carriage and comfort. It features our Skeletal cummerbund system with our patented integrated attachment system that allows pouches to be mounted on both the inside and outside of the cummerbund, shedding unnecessary weight and bulk while improving ventilation.
3. Why do you believe your products are essential to the law enforcement community?
Crye Precision has spent the better part of the last 19 years perfecting each of our products for the most elite military special forces – ensuring functionality, fit and performance are unparalleled. The seamless transition of those products into the law enforcement arena has given the first responder and law enforcement community an unrivaled level of protection and catalog of gear that simply works.
4. What has been the biggest challenge your company has faced?
We maintain our commitment to designing and manufacturing all of our gear in America from American materials. Every item goes from concept to creation right in our Brooklyn-based facility. Because we maintain that commitment to American-made products, we face challenges of raw material availability and cost.
5. What makes your company unique?
As mentioned above, our dedication to American-made products makes us unique. In addition to this, another thing that makes us unique is we solve end-users needs not only through our design and innovation, but by incorporating customer feedback. Every item that goes out the door has been developed and tested by end-users.
6. Do you support any charitable organizations within public safety?
Crye Precision has proudly supported the men and women in uniform, as well as their families, for their sacrifices in ensuring the protection of our freedoms. We partner with organizations to ensure these men, women and families are taken care of during their service and after their last call.
One of these organizations is Warriors Heart , whose mission is to provide the support system that warriors need to return to a balanced, healthy lifestyle free from addictions and harmful patterns of behavior. Those in career paths that require a great deal of self-sacrifice are often more susceptible to depression and related issues, which can lead to dependence or addiction to substances like alcohol and prescription drugs. Warriors Heart helps reintroduce purpose into the lives of those who’ve served and continue to serve their country and their community.
7. Is there any fun fact or trivia that you’d like to share with our users about you or your company?
We are headquartered in the historic Brooklyn Navy Yard, the same yard that launched some of America’s most important warships. We are proud to continue the Yard’s legacy of building the best for our fighting men and women. Our building is home to some of the Yard’s most integral pieces of machinery and history.