Sarkar Tactical, located in Glasgow, UK, is a prominent manufacturer of ballistic helmets, body armor, and various tactical products. What started as a small shop is now a supplier to over 20 armed and security forces across the globe including the US Marine Corps, US Army, Spanish Navy, US Navy, US and UK Police Forces, and the UN.

Manufacturing tactical gear comes with tremendous responsibility. One small defect could be fatal to the wearer. Sam Sarkar, CEO and Founder of Sarkar Tactical is ex Royal Navy and understands the magnitude of precision and repeatability during production.

“Quality is at the heart of everything we do,” says Sam Sarkar, CEO and Founder of Sarkar Tactical. “Our ethos is thousands of ones, instead of one of thousands.”

The raw goods and manufacturing process are what make a final product unequaled. For the highest standard of control, a dedicated team of professionals at Sarkar was tasked with cutting each pattern by hand. For more than 13 years the manual cutting room proved effective. As demand increased, Sarkar searched for ways to optimize operations.

In June of 2022, the Sarkar factory headquarters in Glasgow welcomed an automated conveyorized cutting system from Eastman Machine Company. The Eastman machine cuts a variety of advanced textiles including 1000 denier CORDURA®, nylon, and woven aramid with prepreg resin.

“The Eastman has changed our operation drastically,” says Sarkar. “We’ve reduced our lead times, increased capabilities, and cut down on errors.”

Adding automation to the cutting room increased speed and accuracy without sacrificing control and quality. In fact, the boasted efficiency and productivity have allowed Sarkar to implement new product designs. The highly regarded tactical gear is lighter, stronger, and more repeatable than ever.

“Eastman looks forward to a long-standing relationship with the impressive group at Sarkar,” says Elizabeth McGruder, VP of European Sales & Marketing.

The conveyor cutting system is proudly designed and manufactured at Eastman’s headquarters in Buffalo, New York (USA), along with hundreds of other cutting and material handling solutions. A network of Eastman sales, service, and demonstration facilities is located globally to support the team of experts at the company headquarters.

Eastman plans to demonstrate the Eagle C135 conveyor cutting system at JEC World (Paris, France) on April 25-27, 2023 in Hall 6, Stand D59.