] The Pentagon has asked all chemical suit manufacturers to
] boost their production by 42 percent by month's end.
. . .
] The boost is needed to replenish supplies used up by the
] deployment of thousands of personnel to the Middle East,
] said Frank Johnson, spokesman for Defense Supply Center
] Philadelphia.
]
] About 90,000 of the chemical suits were manufactured last
] month by five manufacturers with plants in Texas,
] Kentucky, Michigan and Maine, and the Pentagon has
] initiated an increase to 128,000 a month by the end of
] April. That's the maximum capacity for the available
] fabric.
]
] Creative Apparel is doing its part by expanding
] production to 24,000 suits a month at plants in Belmont,
] Eastport, Indian Township and Dover-Foxcroft, in addition
] to Harmony.
]
] The company, which is certified as a small, disadvantaged
] business, is owned by the Passamaquoddy Indian tribe.