LHD Group Hong Kong Awarded Expanded Follow-On Contract to Supply Flame-Resistant Foul Weather Gear for GFS Pilots and Engineering Officers
Award Follows Multi-Year Field Performance of Lakeland-Designed Aircrew Suits and Extends the Company’s Position with Elite Aerial Emergency Response Units Across Asia-Pacific
HUNTSVILLE, Ala., Sept. 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lakeland Industries, Inc. (“Lakeland Fire + Safety” or “Lakeland”) (NASDAQ: LAKE), a leading global manufacturer of protective clothing and apparel for industry, healthcare and first responders, today announced that its LHD Group Hong Kong subsidiary has been awarded a contract to supply foul weather shell clothing and overpants to the Government Flying Service (“GFS”) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The award, received on August 21, 2026, covers specialized protective outerwear for GFS Pilots and Engineering Officers, and is the second consecutive contract the Company has secured with the agency.
The GFS is a disciplined force under the Hong Kong SAR Government, providing round-the-clock, year-round aerial support to the public and government departments. Its core missions include search and rescue, aerial firefighting support, aero-medical evacuation, internal security, and disaster relief. As of December 31, 2024, the GFS had 331 personnel and a fleet of 12 aircraft (3 fixed-wing aircraft and 9 helicopters), serving a population of more than 7.5 million across Hong Kong and its surrounding waters.
To meet the demanding operational environment faced by GFS aircrew, characterized by extreme weather, heavy rainfall, strong winds and exposure to heat and flame risk during rescue missions, LHD Group Hong Kong leveraged its technical expertise to design a specialized foul weather suit in 2020. The garment is constructed from GORE-TEX® PYRAD® fabric, a high-performance material that combines flame resistance, waterproofing and breathability to deliver protection without sacrificing mobility or comfort during critical missions.
LHD Group Hong Kong was first awarded a contract in 2020 to supply foul weather shell clothing and overpants to GFS Aircrewman Officers. Following sustained positive feedback from aircrewmen citing the suit's performance, durability, and functionality, the GFS requested design modifications to better accommodate the operational requirements of their Pilots and Engineering Officers. Those enhancements included ergonomic adjustments, improved mobility features and utility pockets for mission-critical equipment.
Following a multi-year evaluation and qualification process, LHD Group Hong Kong was successful in securing this second, larger contract, further strengthening its positioning as a reliable partner in high-performance protective apparel for elite emergency response units.
The award extends Lakeland’s presence in the Asia-Pacific first responder market, where the Company serves fire services, police forces, and aviation units through LHD Group’s service centers in Hong Kong and Australia. Lakeland believes programs that pair custom design work with certified, high-performance materials build durable relationships that can generate recurring replenishment demand as garments reach the end of their service life.
“This award is an endorsement of the work our team delivered six years ago that has performed in the field every day since,” said Jim Jenkins, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lakeland Fire + Safety. “The GFS is one of the most demanding aerial emergency response organizations in the region, and the decision to extend the program from aircrewmen to pilots and engineering officers came only after years of operational use and a rigorous re-evaluation against competing suppliers. That is precisely the kind of long-cycle, relationship-driven business we are building across our fire and first responder platform, and it shows how our specialized design capability differentiates us in competitive government tenders.”
“We are honored to continue our partnership with the GFS, which is recognized as one of the most respected aerial emergency response organizations in the region,” said Peter Chan, Managing Director of LHD Group Hong Kong. “This contract reflects the trust that the GFS has placed in our design capabilities and product quality. Our team is committed to delivering gear that enhances safety, comfort and operational effectiveness for those who serve on the front lines.”
About Lakeland Fire + Safety
Lakeland Fire + Safety manufactures and sells a comprehensive line of fire services and industrial protective clothing and accessories for the industrial and first responder markets. In addition, we provide decontamination, repair and rental services that complement our fire services portfolio. Our products are sold globally by our in-house sales teams, our customer service group, and authorized independent sales representatives to a strategic global network of selective fire and industrial distributors and wholesale partners. Our authorized distributors supply end users across various industries, including integrated oil, chemical/petrochemical, automobile, transportation, steel, glass, construction, smelting, cleanroom, janitorial, pharmaceutical, and high-tech electronics manufacturers, as well as scientific, medical laboratories, and the utilities industry. In addition, we supply federal, state and local governmental agencies and departments, including fire and law enforcement, airport crash rescue units, the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security and the Centers for Disease Control. Internationally, we sell to a mix of end-users directly and to industrial distributors, depending on the particular country and market. In addition to the United States, sales are made into more than 50 foreign countries, the majority of which were into China, the European Economic Community ("EEC"), Canada, Chile, Argentina, Commonwealth of Independent States (“CIS”) Region, Colombia, Mexico, Ecuador, India, Uruguay, Middle East, Southeast Asia, Australia, Hong Kong and New Zealand.
For more information about Lakeland, please visit the Company's website at www.lakeland.com.
"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
This press release contains estimates, predictions, opinions, goals and other "forward-looking statements" as that phrase is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, without limitation, references to the Company's predictions or expectations of future business or financial performance as well as its goals and objectives for future operations, financial and business trends, business prospects, and management's expectations for earnings, revenues, expenses, inventory levels, capital levels, liquidity levels, or other future financial or business performance, strategies or expectations, including without limitation our expectations for expansion within the Asia-Pacific first responder market. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, which address Lakeland's expectations of sources or uses for capital, or which express the Company's expectation for the future with respect to financial performance or operating strategies, can be identified as forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions as described from time to time in press releases and Forms 8-K, registration statements, quarterly and annual reports and other reports and filings filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission or made by management. As a result, there can be no assurance that Lakeland's future results will not be materially different from those described herein as "believed," "projected," "planned," "intended," "anticipated," "can," "estimated" or "expected," or other words which reflect the current view of the Company with respect to future events. We caution readers that these forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. The Company hereby expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in the Company's expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which such statement is based, except as may be required by law.
Investor Relations
Chris Tyson
Executive Vice President
MZ Group - MZ North America
949-491-8235
LAKE@mzgroup.us
www.mzgroup.us
