Alpha Industries
Encyclopedia
Alpha Industries is an American clothing manufacturer founded in 1959 in Knoxville, Tennessee
. Initially as a contractor to the United States military, the company grew into an international commercial seller of American military style and fashion apparel. Alpha makes items such as flight jacket
s and vest
s, and has made jackets for the military of the United States
like the M65 Jacket
for over half a century. The Jackets are made for men and women, as well as children and now dogs. Popular models include the MA-1
and CWU-45/P pilot jackets.
In January, 1948, Robert Lane
and his wife Helen incorporated Superior Tags Corporation in order to manufacture flight jackets on a United States Department of Defense
contract. Superior Tags created some of the most well known U.S. Army Air Force flight jackets known, including the B-10 Bomber and L-2 Jackets (as well as the A-9 and A-10 flight pants.)
In 1952, for unknown reasons, Superior Tags Corporation was shut down. In response Lane decided to organize a new company called Rolen Sportswear. Rolen was, more or less, Superior Tags under a different name. They picked up the same United States Department of Defense
(DOD) contracts and used the same Elizabeth, New Jersey
factory.
By 1957 Lane had decided his success was enough to attempt a new company. One he could locate in the Southeastern United States where labor was plentiful and manufacturing costs were substantially less. He therefore went to his accountant, Samuel Gelber, and created Dobbs Industries in Knoxville, Tennessee
.
Robert Lane was accused in 1959 of bribing a government official for a Department of Defense contract. As such his business and any business associated with him were barred from ever obtaining another contract from the government. Although he held 90% of the shares to Dobb Industries this still spelled the end for Samuel Gelber. He therefore split with Lane and approached Herman "Breezy" Wynn, founder of Wynn Industries Group for help establishing a new group solely run by Gelber. On October 17, 1959 Gelber incorporated his new company, Alpha Industries, in Knoxville Tennessee.
Alpha Industries began operations making military clothing in the basement of a rented Knoxville
factory using leased sewing machines and only a few employees. Department of Defense contracts were initially difficult to secure in a time of peace, however, the start of the Vietnam War
meant a sudden increase in demand for military clothing and Alpha's growth rapidly accelerated.
Due to the unusual nature of manufacturers who worked by government contract the multiple companies were persuaded to work collaboratively through subcontracts and affiliations. What formed was known as the Wynn Confederation. It was a series of DOD contract manufactures who would lease sewing machinery to other companies within the Confederation, provide them with technical assistance, and provide and train employees. Wynn would also locate the fabric and component suppliers for the Confederation groups. This friendly subcontracting made it possible for fledgling groups like Alpha to acquire work and survive past its first 12 months of existence.
With America's escalating involvement in Vietnam starting in the 1960s companies like Alpha found themselves inundated with work. Alpha expanded considerably over the decade and soon occupied all four floors of the 614 11th Street factory. The government's demand for quality control brought John Niethammer in who would become a huge asset to Alpha's expansion. The 60s saw Alpha emerge as a leader in manufacturing, especially the now famous nylon flight jacket, the MA-1
.
The 1970s saw a new mentality by the Department of Defense. They deemed it necessary to equip every man with separate clothing for every possible weather scenario they could encounter. This meant another boom for manufacturers like Alpha. Because DOD contracts were given preferably to small business Alpha did not want to risk increasing its employment to more the 500 workers. The solution was, then, to create new groups they could subcontract to- most notably Summit Apparel and Benton Manufacturing. With a move to a newer, bigger, factory in 1980 Alpha was able to devote whole buildings to single types of jackets. The new factory saw the production of 550,000 field jackets per year.
Alpha soon took a leap that would turn out to be the saving grace of the company. They began to sell commercially. By this time Alpha had dabbled in commercial sales in between DOD contracts but nothing serious and all through subcontracted groups such as Dobbs Apparel. After the Vietnam War
Alpha jackets and pants made the rounds through army surplus stores and were known by the men and women who wore them when they served. This budding public knowledge of Alpha's products created the first true demand for Alpha apparel in the public market. A military apparel company through and through, the only changes Alpha would make over the next 20 years for the public market were in the color of the jackets.
In 1982 Samuel Gelber passed away at the age of 67 and left the company to his wife Mildred with the assistance of John Niethammer and her son-in-law Alan Cirker. Under new leadership Alpha began to expand the commercial side of its business. For the first time they actively sought commercial customers.
The Reagan
administration initially brought new hope to companies like Alpha. The government called for an increase in DOD spending which exceeded 1.8 billion dollars in textile alone. This meant huge new business for Alpha. They became the leading producer of the new CWU 36/P and 45/P Nomex
flight jackets which replaced the MA-1 bomber jacket
, and the Gore-Tex
systems which replaced the parkas.
In the short time it lasted this was a huge boost. However the end of the Cold War
brought the "Peace Dividend
" and by the early 1990s DOD spending had decreased by 75%. Liberalization of trade barriers and a reduction of duties also led to a break down in the American apparel industry. "Made in America" was not so sought after when an identical product could suddenly be made much cheaper in China.
The decline of DOD contracts and expansion of foreign production threatened to end Alpha Industries. They were barely kept alive by the few contracts they could acquire based on their reputation as a leading manufacturer of the hard to produce fire-proof, seam-sealed flight jackets.
The Gulf War
and Iraq War did not noticeably increase the demand for military apparel. The military's focus became on technology and electronics that would reduce the use of human life. Therefore Alpha turned more and more to the commercial sale of its products.
and Asia
. Alpha now creates replicas of famous military wear as well as casual clothing that is military-inspired. Children's clothing, accessories, and pet's clothing have even found their ways into the Alpha repertoire.
Alpha has expanded into networks of international distributors, retailers, and internet sellers. Supplementing its small American factory base (still located in Knoxville), Alpha has expanded its range of manufacturing outside of the United States to provide the many types of clothing required by retailers and other commercial customers.
. In deals that required foreign groups to purchase through American manufacturers Alpha found itself with a new customer bases in other countries.
During the latter decades of the 20th century Alpha produced clothing for military organizations throughout the world including Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, Ecuador, Holland, Jordan, New Guinea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Taiwan, Uruguay and many more.
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
. Initially as a contractor to the United States military, the company grew into an international commercial seller of American military style and fashion apparel. Alpha makes items such as flight jacket
Flight jacket
The flight jacket, or bomber jacket is a garment originally created for pilots, which eventually became part of popular culture and apparel. In the First World War most airplanes did not have an enclosed cockpit, which necessitated a garment that could keep pilots sufficiently warm...
s and vest
Vest
A vest is a garment covering the upper body. The term has different meanings around the world:Waistcoat :. This is called a waistcoat in the UK and many Commonwealth countries, or a vest in the US and Canada. It is often worn as part of formal attire, or as the third piece of a lounge...
s, and has made jackets for the military of the United States
Military of the United States
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
like the M65 Jacket
M65 Jacket
The M-1965 Field Jacket, also known as the M65 and the "M-65 Field Jacket", is a popular field jacket designed for the US military. It was introduced into US military service in 1965 to replace the M-1951 field jacket still preferred by US Troops, an improvement on the M-1943 field jacket of Second...
for over half a century. The Jackets are made for men and women, as well as children and now dogs. Popular models include the MA-1
MA-1 bomber jacket
The MA-1 bomber jacket was first developed in the mid 1950s. The MA-1 and its predecessor, the B-15 Flight Jacket, were needed at that time because the emergence of the jet age created new requirements for pilot performance, safety and comfort.- History :Prior to the invention of jet aircraft,...
and CWU-45/P pilot jackets.
History
Alpha Industries is a direct descendant of three companies- Superior Tags Corporation, Rolen Sportswear, and Dobbs Industries. Through the 1940s these companies formed an affiliated family linked by common ownership and an identical business of manufacturing flight jackets for the United States military.In January, 1948, Robert Lane
Robert Lane
Robert George Lane was a Canadian amateur football player who competed in the 1904 Summer Olympics.He was born in Galt, Ontario and died in Winnipeg....
and his wife Helen incorporated Superior Tags Corporation in order to manufacture flight jackets on a United States Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
contract. Superior Tags created some of the most well known U.S. Army Air Force flight jackets known, including the B-10 Bomber and L-2 Jackets (as well as the A-9 and A-10 flight pants.)
In 1952, for unknown reasons, Superior Tags Corporation was shut down. In response Lane decided to organize a new company called Rolen Sportswear. Rolen was, more or less, Superior Tags under a different name. They picked up the same United States Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
(DOD) contracts and used the same Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
factory.
By 1957 Lane had decided his success was enough to attempt a new company. One he could locate in the Southeastern United States where labor was plentiful and manufacturing costs were substantially less. He therefore went to his accountant, Samuel Gelber, and created Dobbs Industries in Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
.
Robert Lane was accused in 1959 of bribing a government official for a Department of Defense contract. As such his business and any business associated with him were barred from ever obtaining another contract from the government. Although he held 90% of the shares to Dobb Industries this still spelled the end for Samuel Gelber. He therefore split with Lane and approached Herman "Breezy" Wynn, founder of Wynn Industries Group for help establishing a new group solely run by Gelber. On October 17, 1959 Gelber incorporated his new company, Alpha Industries, in Knoxville Tennessee.
Alpha Industries began operations making military clothing in the basement of a rented Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
factory using leased sewing machines and only a few employees. Department of Defense contracts were initially difficult to secure in a time of peace, however, the start of the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
meant a sudden increase in demand for military clothing and Alpha's growth rapidly accelerated.
Due to the unusual nature of manufacturers who worked by government contract the multiple companies were persuaded to work collaboratively through subcontracts and affiliations. What formed was known as the Wynn Confederation. It was a series of DOD contract manufactures who would lease sewing machinery to other companies within the Confederation, provide them with technical assistance, and provide and train employees. Wynn would also locate the fabric and component suppliers for the Confederation groups. This friendly subcontracting made it possible for fledgling groups like Alpha to acquire work and survive past its first 12 months of existence.
With America's escalating involvement in Vietnam starting in the 1960s companies like Alpha found themselves inundated with work. Alpha expanded considerably over the decade and soon occupied all four floors of the 614 11th Street factory. The government's demand for quality control brought John Niethammer in who would become a huge asset to Alpha's expansion. The 60s saw Alpha emerge as a leader in manufacturing, especially the now famous nylon flight jacket, the MA-1
MA-1 bomber jacket
The MA-1 bomber jacket was first developed in the mid 1950s. The MA-1 and its predecessor, the B-15 Flight Jacket, were needed at that time because the emergence of the jet age created new requirements for pilot performance, safety and comfort.- History :Prior to the invention of jet aircraft,...
.
The 1970s saw a new mentality by the Department of Defense. They deemed it necessary to equip every man with separate clothing for every possible weather scenario they could encounter. This meant another boom for manufacturers like Alpha. Because DOD contracts were given preferably to small business Alpha did not want to risk increasing its employment to more the 500 workers. The solution was, then, to create new groups they could subcontract to- most notably Summit Apparel and Benton Manufacturing. With a move to a newer, bigger, factory in 1980 Alpha was able to devote whole buildings to single types of jackets. The new factory saw the production of 550,000 field jackets per year.
Alpha soon took a leap that would turn out to be the saving grace of the company. They began to sell commercially. By this time Alpha had dabbled in commercial sales in between DOD contracts but nothing serious and all through subcontracted groups such as Dobbs Apparel. After the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
Alpha jackets and pants made the rounds through army surplus stores and were known by the men and women who wore them when they served. This budding public knowledge of Alpha's products created the first true demand for Alpha apparel in the public market. A military apparel company through and through, the only changes Alpha would make over the next 20 years for the public market were in the color of the jackets.
In 1982 Samuel Gelber passed away at the age of 67 and left the company to his wife Mildred with the assistance of John Niethammer and her son-in-law Alan Cirker. Under new leadership Alpha began to expand the commercial side of its business. For the first time they actively sought commercial customers.
The Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
administration initially brought new hope to companies like Alpha. The government called for an increase in DOD spending which exceeded 1.8 billion dollars in textile alone. This meant huge new business for Alpha. They became the leading producer of the new CWU 36/P and 45/P Nomex
Nomex
Nomex is a registered trademark for flame resistant meta-aramid material developed in the early 1960s by DuPont and first marketed in 1967.- Properties:...
flight jackets which replaced the MA-1 bomber jacket
MA-1 bomber jacket
The MA-1 bomber jacket was first developed in the mid 1950s. The MA-1 and its predecessor, the B-15 Flight Jacket, were needed at that time because the emergence of the jet age created new requirements for pilot performance, safety and comfort.- History :Prior to the invention of jet aircraft,...
, and the Gore-Tex
Gore-Tex
Gore-Tex is a waterproof/breathable fabric, and a registered trademark of W. L. Gore and Associates. It was co-invented by Wilbert L. Gore, Rowena Taylor, and Gore's son, Robert W. Gore. Robert Gore was granted on April 27, 1976, for a porous form of polytetrafluoroethylene with a...
systems which replaced the parkas.
In the short time it lasted this was a huge boost. However the end of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
brought the "Peace Dividend
Peace dividend
The peace dividend is a political slogan popularized by US President George H.W. Bush and UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the early 1990s, purporting to describe the economic benefit of a decrease in defense spending. It is used primarily in discussions relating to the guns versus butter...
" and by the early 1990s DOD spending had decreased by 75%. Liberalization of trade barriers and a reduction of duties also led to a break down in the American apparel industry. "Made in America" was not so sought after when an identical product could suddenly be made much cheaper in China.
The decline of DOD contracts and expansion of foreign production threatened to end Alpha Industries. They were barely kept alive by the few contracts they could acquire based on their reputation as a leading manufacturer of the hard to produce fire-proof, seam-sealed flight jackets.
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
and Iraq War did not noticeably increase the demand for military apparel. The military's focus became on technology and electronics that would reduce the use of human life. Therefore Alpha turned more and more to the commercial sale of its products.
Today
Never straying far from its military roots, Alpha Industries is now a globally recognized manufacturer of military style apparel with costumers ranging from U.S. surplus to stores across EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. Alpha now creates replicas of famous military wear as well as casual clothing that is military-inspired. Children's clothing, accessories, and pet's clothing have even found their ways into the Alpha repertoire.
Alpha has expanded into networks of international distributors, retailers, and internet sellers. Supplementing its small American factory base (still located in Knoxville), Alpha has expanded its range of manufacturing outside of the United States to provide the many types of clothing required by retailers and other commercial customers.
International Contracts
By the mid 1980s Alpha found that some of their products were envied by foreign military groups and were recommended to military attachés by the United States Defense Logistics AgencyDefense Logistics Agency
The Defense Logistics Agency is an agency in the United States Department of Defense, with more than 26,000 civilian and military personnel throughout the world...
. In deals that required foreign groups to purchase through American manufacturers Alpha found itself with a new customer bases in other countries.
During the latter decades of the 20th century Alpha produced clothing for military organizations throughout the world including Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, Ecuador, Holland, Jordan, New Guinea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Taiwan, Uruguay and many more.