IAG New APC “Jaws” to be in Operation in Turkey
Defence Turkey: Mr. Alper Alpay first of all thanks for this interview. Could you please enlighten us about International Armored Group?
IAG was founded 21 years ago in Canada by Dr.Anton Stefov. With the rising customer demands in the Middle East in 2004, IAG established its second production plant in the Ras Al Khaimah/United Arab Emirates and has started it’s dominance throughout the Middle East and North Africa Markets.
At the moment group have production facilities in Canada, USA, UAE and Turkey with over 150 units per month capacity. With the completion of IAG’s new production facility extension in UAE, as of September 2015 the monthly production capacity will increase to over 180 units/month.
IAG Turkey is the youngest but yet promising production facility of the group.
Being found only in 2014, IAG Turkey already extended its production capacity twice and signed remarkable contracts with the Turkish Government for supply of Armored Personnel Carriers and Concealed Armored SUV’s.
Defence Turkey: Could you please inform us your capabilities , Technologies?
IAG’s capabilities of armoring are covering over a great number of 90 different models in the Concealed armored SUV and Sedan Vehicles, Tactical Response Vehicles, Armored Personnel Carriers, Cash In Transit Vehicles, Riot Control Vehicles segments at the protection levels requested by our customers.
IAG have its in-house CNC laser cutting, CNC bending, CNC milling and 5 axis machining centres and with its highly qualified R&D team working with the highest precision to supply the best quality to its customers.
Transparent Armored Systems is the armored glass manufacturing facility of IAG which is capable of manufacturing curved glass for automotive, flat glass for automotive and architectural use, ballistic and blast resistant frame and door systems, sentry boxes, armored check points and armored accommodation containers. By using the highest quality raw material and its high tech machinery park TAS is making sure that every the glass coming out of its production line, matches the IAG’s world wide recognised quality standards.
Defence Turkey: As it is known that IAG and TAS provides its services in 8 countries and export to more than 80 countries. What are your ongoing programmes in those nations?
IAG has its rightful place as one of the main suppliers of US forces, UN agencies, NATO forces and a lot of other international organizations and government departments in Turkey, USA, Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, Pakistan, India, Afganistan, Africa and Libya.
Defence Turkey: You have made a significant investment in Bursa. Could you please inform us about your activities in Turkey?
IAG Turkey is the youngest production facility of the group but with its high quality products already has been recognised by Turkish Government for the supply of Armored Personnel Carrier and Concealed Armored SUV’s.
IAG Turkey has won tenders for the supply of 150 units as the first phase of a fruitful collaboration between the company and the Turkish Government.
Defence Turkey: How do you assess 2014 of IAG Turkey in terms of sales, investment, export etc in figures?
IAG Turkey was established in April 2014 but already exceed its expectations and build over 80 armored units in 2014 and exported all its production. IAG’s investments in Turkey includes buying its own land and production building in Bursa Free zone in Gemlik/Bursa and by moving our new facilities we will extend our production capacity to over 20 units/month.
Defence Turkey: What is your new goal in 2015?
IAG Turkey will move to its new facility by June 2015 and will also expand its high tech machinery park with CNC laser cutting machine, CNC milling machines and CNC bending presses to increase the production capacity to over 30 units/month by the end of 2015.
The growing demand requires additional investments which IAG intends to do in order to increase the production area and reach the production capacity of 50 cars/month within 2016.
Defence Turkey: What is current status of your R&D studies on Tactical Response Vehicle and Armoured Personnel Carrier models?
R&D for both vehicles are completed and both vehicles are already in operation in the middle east. Our Guardian model vehicle is main tactical response vehicle used in the middle east in the fight against ISIS. Our armored personnel carrier Jaws will soon be in operation in Turkey.
Now we continue our R&D activities for the 2 new chassis models which will have 6x6 and 8x8 configurations.
Defence Turkey: Would you like to add some remarks for our readers?
Our main responsibility is saving lives. We are focused on developing new models and doing necessary investments to supply high quality cars to all our customers. Turkey is very important for our group due to its strategically location. We will keep on investing in Turkey in order to meet our clients demands and high expectations.
