NP Aerospace

The story of NP Aerospace begins in 1926, not with armor, but with textiles, as part of the Courtaulds Group. It was in the 1950s that the company expanded into composites and plastics, acquiring National Plastics, from which the "NP" in its name originates. The pivot into defense came in 1979 when it secured a contract to supply the UK Armed Forces with combat helmets. This marked a definitive shift into developing advanced armor and personal protection. The company's ownership has evolved through several stages, including being part of Reinhold Industries and later Morgan Advanced Materials. A pivotal moment arrived in 2018 when James Kempston, a former executive, led a buyout of the company from Morgan Advanced Materials, in partnership with Canada's PFN Group of Companies. This transitioned NP Aerospace back into a private business, aiming for increased agility. Under Kempston's leadership as CEO, the company has focused on growth. It has supplied over a million combat helmets and hundreds of thousands of body armor plates to NATO allies. A key strategic move came in 2024 with the acquisition of the assets of Jankel Armouring Limited, a company that had entered administration. This acquisition expanded NP Aerospace’s portfolio to include tactical and civilian armored vehicles, further cementing its position in the global defense market.