Logistics contract provides stimulus for family-owned business

And now for a bit of positive economic news: Atlantic Diving Supply (ADS), a Virginia Beach, Va.-based supplier of military, fire, emergency and law enforcement gear, is looking for a few good men and women.

Thanks to a five-year, $5.7 billion contract recently awarded by the Defense Logistics Agency, the company plans to grow its work force by 25 percent – immediately.

“We’re looking for great people to add to our team,” CEO Luke Hillier told GovPro.com. “We’re a growing company, a young, entrepreneurial company. It’s a great place to work, and we have a lot of fun.”

Hillier noted the company’s “core business” is “serving our war fighters,” and ADS no doubt will be looking for men and women who can get behind that mission.

“Everybody at ADS is focused on serving those who serve us – our men and women in uniform,” Hillier said.

ADS, which formed in 1979 in Virginia Beach as the government sales division of a local diving-supply center, employs 250 people at facilities in Virginia Beach and San Diego. The second-generation, family-owned business supplies tactical and special operations gear – from binoculars to protective vests – to the U.S. military and other federal, state and local agencies, and provides equipment training as well as logistics services such as warehousing, assembling and supply chain management.

To fulfill the $5.7 billion contract – the largest ever for ADS – the company plans to hire 60 full-time employees for warehouse and supply chain functions as well as for accounting, business development and sales positions.

“With all the turmoil in this economy, we hope there’s an opportunity for us to recruit and retain some star performers,” Hillier told GovPro.com.

Under the contract, ADS will be a primary vendor for the Special Operational Equipment Tailored Logistics Support Program. As part of the program, ADS will supply survival gear, escalation-of-force equipment, apparel, scuba and diving equipment and other items to the Department of Defense, military installations, other federal agencies and state and local governments. ADS also will provide equipment training, supply chain management and other logistics services, Hillier told GovPro.com.

The Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, which is part of the Defense Logistics Agency, selected ADS as a primary vendor for the program.