Southgate News-Herald: Sen. Peters tours Viconic Defense factory in Taylor

U.S. Sen. Gary Peters toured Viconic Defense’s state of the art factory in Taylor on Monday.

Peters is a member of the Armed Services Committee, and has a vested interest in the defense industry as it related to the Michigan plant.

“I wanted to come out and see some of the work being done here to save warfighters lives,” Peters said. “This is something I focus a great deal on.” 

Viconic Defense manufactures a line of products aimed at making vehicles safer for members of the military to travel in. According to it’s website the company is, focused on engineering survivability solutions that provide the most effective protection from impact-related injuries to better protect soldiers.

The company holds several patents and has a special manufacturing procedure that helps it to stand above it’s competitors in the field.

“We showed him some of our products,” Vice President JB Audi said.

Some of the products it offers includes, Blast-Mitigating Floor Mats, Protective Interior Trim, Blast Seat Energy Absorbers and Shock-Mitigating Boat Matting, among others.

Those products won’t stop a vehicle from being hie with an IED or other attack, but they do help make the vehicle safer to be in if it is attacked.

Peters has been a strong supporter Michigan’s growing defense manufacturing sector since he took office as a U.S. Rep. in 2009, and later as a Senator in 2015.

Michigan has quickly become a leader in defense contracts in the country, house Viconic in Taylor, Northern Wings Repair in the Upper Peninsula, Niowave in Lansing, TM3 Systems in Detroit and many other smaller contractors that work for the U.S. Government on various projects.

“This is an example of what we have going on here in Michigan,” Peters said. “We have world class auto suppliers that are creating incredible products that work not just in the civilian market, but that can also be applied to the defense industry.”

Peters said Viconic is a good example of a company that was able to take the expertise developed for the automotive industry and taylor it to help in the defense industry as well.

“This company ... can take that expertise and apply it in a way that will save soldiers lives.”

Peters said after seeing the plant, he’s more secure knowing the military is in safe hands.

“One of the most dangerous things to do right now isn’t necessarily being in combat but getting to combat,” he said. “Explosive devices are everywhere.” He said more deaths occur during troop transport and movement than in actual combat.

“It’s companies like this that are incorporating technologies that will safe lives.”

While the factory is in Taylor, the company’s headquarters is at 1100 Oakwood Boulevard in Dearborn.