HUNTSVILLE, Ala., April 12, 2007 – Taos Industries, Inc., has been selected by the North Alabama International Trade Association
(NAITA) to receive its prestigious Global Trade Award for 2007. The annual NAITA Global Trade Award honors North Alabama companies and organizations
for dedication to international trade development.
Taos was selected for its active role in the global procurement and logistics arena. In the past three years
Taos has exported or imported more than $200 million dollars worth of material from some twenty-seven countries.
Taos was founded in 1991 in Huntsville as a supplier of non standard military spare parts and equipment. Non Standard material
is that not routinely purchased by the Department of Defense. The company initially provided “hard to find” repair parts to foreign
military customers who were operating older U.S. military equipment. In 1996 the company was one of the first to open an office in Ukraine following
the end of the Cold war and began providing foreign military hardware to U.S. military training ranges and test organizations. Eventually
Taos began working directly with the Ministry of Defense of the Ukraine to design and manufacture unique types of combat vehicles
to meet very specific Department of Defense requirements. In addition to the systems themselves, the company provided repair parts, training and
warranty support.
In 2000 the company began providing
foreign personnel security equipment in support of U.S. Special Operations training. An office was opened in Bulgaria in 2003 after the company won
major U.S. contracts to provide security material to allies in Iraq and Afghanistan. Taos has made more than 150 airlifts of supplies to these two
countries since that time. In addition to the U.S. Department of Defense, the company works closely with the U.S. State Department as well as in
numerous Eastern and Western European countries.
Taos was a small business until 2006 when it was purchased by Agility Defense and Government Services, one of the top twenty
U.S. Defense Contractors with operations in more than 100 countries and 22,000 employees. Currently the company is the principal procurement
operation for Agility which specializes in third party logistics. The company plans to expand Huntsville operations to include the establishment of a
Supply Chain Management Center to support the global logistical operations of Agility.
Taos was the Huntsville Chamber Small Business of the Year in 2003 and is a very active supporter of community and charity
events in Huntsville and Madison County. Taos is a sustaining member and active participant
in NAITA.
John Hamilton, CEO of Taos Industries,
Inc., accepted the Global Trade Award – a custom-designed, commemorative stone plaque – today during ceremonies at NAITA’s
24th annual World Trade Day Luncheon at the Von Braun Center in Downtown Huntsville. It was presented by last year’s honoree, the
Port of Huntsville, represented by Mitch Bradley, Director of the International Intermodal Center.
“Taos Industries is very
honored to receive this prestigious Global Trade Award for 2007. Huntsville has proven to be a great location to establish an international business
such as ours, and we are very thankful for the community support organizations such as NAITA which have been so helpful to us along our way.”
said John Hamilton, CEO of Taos Industries, Inc. “We look forward to continued growth here and contributing to the community as we expand
under our new ownership.”
About the Taos Industries, Inc.
A subsidiary of Agility Defense & Government
Services, Taos is in the business of providing commercial and military spare parts and systems from around the world to U.S. Federal and State
government customers. Taos specializes in the procurement of non-standard material including equipment for security forces, foreign military systems,
and hard to find components. More information about Taos may be found at http://www.taos-inc.com/.
About NAITA - Building a
Globally Competitive Community
The North Alabama International Trade Association (NAITA)
is a business-driven organization that promotes international trade, provides a networking forum and education on trade issues, and prepares
businesses for global success. NAITA’s mission is to be a catalyst for trade development and growth opportunities in North Alabama and the
surrounding region. Established in 1983 and incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1986, NAITA currently has more than 400 members. Further
information on NAITA is available at http://www.naita.org/.
