Business Summary: Susquehanna Association for the Blind and Vision Impaired (SABVI) is a non-profit organization offering independent living skills training, rehabilitation, and employment to people who are blind and/or vision impaired. To fund these services, which are offered free to the public, SABVI has incorporated an industrial division into each of its four facilities that employs an approximately 75% blind or vision impaired workforce. SABVI strives to be the ultimate business partner delivering competitive, quality products and services. From bio-based industrial cleaning products that help keep the environment free of toxic waste, to a wide variety of products used by the nation’s defense forces that help keep troops safe, to recycling and imaging services that help reduce landfill contamination, SABVI is on the cutting edge of support to Federal government, business and the community.
IOTV Specific
SABVI has been in the business of producing items for the Department of Defense for over 25 years. Customers include Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Natick, US Marine Corp, Army, Air force, and Navy. In addition, substantial work has been subcontracted to SABVI from Gentex Corporation, British Aerospace Enterprises (BAE) and Mine Safety Appliances (MSA), Unicore (FPI) among others. Our specialty has been in Textiles and Apparel with much of our work coming under the personal protection umbrella. Major contracts have been the PASGT Suspension Headband, ACH Helmet Pads, Rifle Sling, and Navy Neckerchief for the dress uniform. We also aided in addressing the surge for ACU during its deployment, making the ACU jacket for approximately 9 months in FY 2006, ramping up quickly on this complex production allowing the Contractor to meet its deadlines. Most recently we have been awarded a 30% portion of the new Nape ballistic pad contract on which KDH is supplying the ballistic insert. SABVI currently has 85 production employees and 3 production facilities in Pennsylvania. Defense related sales for FY 2007-2008 exceeded $26 million.
During the last quarter of 2008 we supported Dallco, Inc in their production of IOTV front, side and back plate carriers as subcontractor to the contract holder. We fixtured 2 large field automated programmable Pfaff sewing machines with transfer tables to tack webbing to front side and back carriers of the IOTV. The automation of these operations yielded savings for our customer as well as made the operations possible for our employees that are blind. We currently have 3 of these Pfaffs with the capacity to complete tacking operations of 1,800 Front, Back and 2 Side carriers per month. We have a reputation for responsiveness to our customers, and quick turnaround of product.
History: Susquehanna Association for the Blind and Vision Impaired (formerly the Lancaster County Association for the Blind) was founded in 1926, creating a workshop for blind individuals to manufacture baskets and cane chairs. SABVI opened Independence Industries in Philadelphia, in 2007. In 2008, Somerset County Blind Center, Somerset, PA, became a division of SABVI and the new Alley Center for the Blind opened to better serve the blind community in Lebanon County.
Customers include, but are not limited to: US Army, US Department of Agriculture, US Department of Defense, US Marine Corp, US Navy, British Aerospace Enterprises, Mine Safety Appliances, Department of Veteran Affairs, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bayer Pharmaceutical, Kellogg’s, Kiwi Brands.
Unique Value Proposition: SABVI delivers quality, value and excellent service by way of the unmatched dedication of its blind and/or vision impaired workforce. SABVI invests in its employees and implements the latest technological solutions and equipment to support medium-to-large production requirements. SABVI also provides its customer/partners with access to federal contracting opportunities and purchase dollars through the AbilityOne Program (formerly the Javits-Wagner-O’Day/JWOD Act), the largest source of employment for
people who are blind or have other disabilities.
Certifications: ISO 9001-2008 SABVI products boast an exceptional customer satisfaction record and outstanding on-time delivery rates of 97.5% for FY 2008-2009.
Summary: SABVI offers project management; process engineering/management, materials management, full production and order management/fulfillment. Other partner benefits include relief from production bottlenecks, reduced payroll and benefits costs, reduced operating capital, a more efficient use of floor space, fixed-cost pricing, fast quotes, cost-effectiveness and quality work delivered on time.
Capabilities include, but not limited to:
IOTV Specific
SABVI has been in the business of producing items for the Department of Defense for over 25 years. Customers include Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Natick, US Marine Corp, Army, Air force, and Navy. In addition, substantial work has been subcontracted to SABVI from Gentex Corporation, British Aerospace Enterprises (BAE) and Mine Safety Appliances (MSA), Unicore (FPI) among others. Our specialty has been in Textiles and Apparel with much of our work coming under the personal protection umbrella. Major contracts have been the PASGT Suspension Headband, ACH Helmet Pads, Rifle Sling, and Navy Neckerchief for the dress uniform. We also aided in addressing the surge for ACU during its deployment, making the ACU jacket for approximately 9 months in FY 2006, ramping up quickly on this complex production allowing the Contractor to meet its deadlines. Most recently we have been awarded a 30% portion of the new Nape ballistic pad contract on which KDH is supplying the ballistic insert. SABVI currently has 85 production employees and 3 production facilities in Pennsylvania. Defense related sales for FY 2007-2008 exceeded $26 million.
During the last quarter of 2008 we supported Dallco, Inc in their production of IOTV front, side and back plate carriers as subcontractor to the contract holder. We fixtured 2 large field automated programmable Pfaff sewing machines with transfer tables to tack webbing to front side and back carriers of the IOTV. The automation of these operations yielded savings for our customer as well as made the operations possible for our employees that are blind. We currently have 3 of these Pfaffs with the capacity to complete tacking operations of 1,800 Front, Back and 2 Side carriers per month. We have a reputation for responsiveness to our customers, and quick turnaround of product.
History: Susquehanna Association for the Blind and Vision Impaired (formerly the Lancaster County Association for the Blind) was founded in 1926, creating a workshop for blind individuals to manufacture baskets and cane chairs. SABVI opened Independence Industries in Philadelphia, in 2007. In 2008, Somerset County Blind Center, Somerset, PA, became a division of SABVI and the new Alley Center for the Blind opened to better serve the blind community in Lebanon County.
Customers include, but are not limited to: US Army, US Department of Agriculture, US Department of Defense, US Marine Corp, US Navy, British Aerospace Enterprises, Mine Safety Appliances, Department of Veteran Affairs, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bayer Pharmaceutical, Kellogg’s, Kiwi Brands.
Unique Value Proposition: SABVI delivers quality, value and excellent service by way of the unmatched dedication of its blind and/or vision impaired workforce. SABVI invests in its employees and implements the latest technological solutions and equipment to support medium-to-large production requirements. SABVI also provides its customer/partners with access to federal contracting opportunities and purchase dollars through the AbilityOne Program (formerly the Javits-Wagner-O’Day/JWOD Act), the largest source of employment for
people who are blind or have other disabilities.
Certifications: ISO 9001-2008 SABVI products boast an exceptional customer satisfaction record and outstanding on-time delivery rates of 97.5% for FY 2008-2009.
Summary: SABVI offers project management; process engineering/management, materials management, full production and order management/fulfillment. Other partner benefits include relief from production bottlenecks, reduced payroll and benefits costs, reduced operating capital, a more efficient use of floor space, fixed-cost pricing, fast quotes, cost-effectiveness and quality work delivered on time.
Capabilities include, but not limited to:
- Large field programmable sewing operations such as: US Army Advance Combat Uniform Jackets, Navy - Dress Uniform Neckerchiefs, Army Helmet Headband Suspension Systems, and Water Purification Bags.
- Fabric and plastics die cutting, precision cutting and assembly such as: Advance Combat Helmet Pads, Corning Glass Brick Separators, US Army Rifle Slings, and Highway Reflective Delineators.
- Liquid filling and bottling operations for products such as: Bio-based cleaners, industrial cleaners and - degreasers, bio-based lubricants.
- Automated bottling and labeling for: 16 oz., 32 oz., 1 gallon and 5 gallon bottles and 55 gallon drums.
- Custom assembly and kitting such as: Shoe Polish Kits, Bodily Fluid Cleanup Kits, Promotional and -ales Incentive Kitting and Fulfillment, Bathroom Deodorant Kit Assemblies, Subassemblies for Computer Tower Cooling Components, Oil Test Kits and Truck Cover Assemblies. All projects can include labeling, inspection and quality control and many different types of packaging including shrink wrapping, cutting, sealing and collating.
