By the very nature of our typical manufacturing and engineering processes, BAT is a contributor towards greenhouse gas pollution. We use a lot of electricity in the production of the armour steel components, and this power is drawn off the national power grid, created by South Africa’s coal fired power stations. Except for the small Koeberg nuclear facility, electricity generation in South Africa is a process of burning huge quantities of coal to create heat, which in turn is used to create steam to turn the power turbines. The more power we need, the more coal we must burn which means more harmful air pollution. It is a very dirty process and the burning of coal is a major contributor towards the nightmare of global climate change.
We looked at ways to lessen our environmental impact and chose the most immediately available solution of solar electricity generation. At a huge cost we had 50 panels mounted onto one of our factory roofs. At full production these panels inject 55kW power into our factory, reducing our draw off the national power grid considerably, oftentimes to nil. If the Ekurhuleni Metro had a mechanism in place, we could put power back into the grid during the day.
On our own, our contribution is small. However, because we have joined the many companies and homeowners who have taken the same initiative, the combined effect is very beneficial to the nation and the environment.

Engineering and manufacturing companies are not known for providing visiting customers with comfort. Typically, these companies focus on product and process, sometimes forgetting that their visitors do not necessarily share the same approach.
So, when Ballistic Armour Technologies started to offer our now well-known one-stop service, we looked at what we can do for our customers when they bring their vehicles to us, and must then wait for a lift back to office or for their vehicle to be repaired. It is usually a driver who brings their vehicle in for the work and we have come to know the guys well, often by name. We asked them how we can make their day a bit easier and all the responses suggested that they are often required to stand about in yards when they go to some places. Given the extreme stress these men must cope with everyday, this is an unpleasant way to spend a few hours and leads to increased fatigue & stress. They need a place to sit while waiting for their vehicle. So, we kicked a senior manager out of his private office, bought two long couches and created a quiet, comfy air-conditioned waiting room with coffee & tea making facilities. No bullet proof box, no risk, no fear – just a peaceful environment around people who care.
The manager might not have been happy, but our customers are – and that matters more.
 

These days, life is no teddy bears picnic. Danger can appear at any time.
Even just taking a slow drive to the shops, you might be heading into a dangerous situation.

What should you do if:
…you are driving on a road and a CiT (cash-in-transit) type of vehicle is close to you? Rather accelerate away or slow down to let them draw ahead. This has two benefits. It takes you away from their vehicle and should an attack happen, you will not be involved in the nasty outcome. The other benefit is that the drivers of the CiT vehicle have a clearer view of the road around them to look out for danger. Never tailgate a CiT truck. Without knowing who you are, they have to view your action as a possible threat and you might not enjoy the reaction you get.
…you go into a shopping centre and you see a CiT vehicle parked at the entrance. Rather find another entrance to the shops. Security staff are often attacked when they are outside of their vehicle (handling cash) or walking to their delivery point. Criminals don’t generally attack a non-involved by-stander if they don’t have to (it’s not that they care; Oh no! it’s because involving you just complicate things for them; they will happily shoot you if you get in the way). So keep away from the vehicle and guards.
…you enter a shop and find that a CiT security man is delivering or collecting valuables. Leave the shop, go to another shop until the security guys leave. If you stay there and the security guys are attacked, you could become ‘collateral damage’ and you would also make it difficult for the security guys to react effectively.
Yes, it’s a sad state of affairs when an innocent motorist or shopper has to take these things into account, but that is our reality. So, just to be safe, look around you, be aware and follow these guidelines. A little bit of inconvenience might just help you avoid a lifetime of regret.

How do they do it
 
How does a company take a load of raw metal and turn it into a state of the art armoured Cash-in-Transit unit?
Without revealing any secrets, here’s how:
Building an armoured CiT unit is not rocket science, its plain engineering. Anybody can do it…..sort of. Take some design ability, good metal working skills, a solid understanding of electronics, hard work, some patience and voila! your cash-in-transit truck can be built.
To do it well however, now that takes engineering prowess and intuition, mixed with loads of hard work.
Firstly, the designer must know all aspects of what the client wants from the truck, such as where it will operate, who will manage it, what it will do etc. This, on its own, is not so easy. Anybody can ask their customer questions but, drawing out the best information from this industry requires a degree of intuition as well as heaps of experience. Operators in this industry do not share information easily – their business and the lives of their staff depend on secrecy, so they must be conservative in the information they provide to anybody.
Now the designers create a design ‘on paper’, clear it with the customer, make the changes needed and commit to production of the prototype. Up to this point a lot of money has been invested in design time alone but there is no metal on the factory floor. Years ago, this would have been about a three-month investment in time and design skills. There is also no guarantee of the client accepting the design. 
Now the prototype must be created or, in BAT’s case, crafted. Before the modern era, this would have been at least another two months of hand building work, with a huge investment in materials. A further two months would have followed to refine the design and get it through the authorities as a road legal design. So, a lot of money and sweat plus seven to eight months to get a new concept on the road; this was acceptable in the last century, even as recently as in the previous decade.
But today, with a service on demand market expectation and the cost of time, a manufacturer is fortunate if a client agrees to a five month period for a new design to hit the road.
BAT’s current design, based on the Hino 815 chassis, was not given the privilege of time. Our client gave us three months to conceive, design, homologate and deliver the first ten units of a completely new concept on an untested chassis.
We did it and set a new market standard for the process in the market. That’s why BAT is the best. We truly are Engineered to be the Best

In 2002, BAT was asked by a precious metals refinery to build two ballistically secure monocoque units to carry bulk loads of concentrate. The customers spec necessitated a design that could securely carry a maximum payload but also ensure the driving crew were properly protected could also defend the vehicle. The chassis BAT chose was a Toyota Dyna 7145 and we built an armour steel monocoque body to allow for best utilisation of load space and weight distribution. Over the 14-year life of these vehicles at the original customer, they were properly maintained by Toyota and Hino dealers and the BAT load bodies had an occasional minor maintenance check. Nothing serious went wrong – ever! Reminds one of the old Toyota tag line of “Everything keeps going right….Toyota”, doesn’t it?
In 2015 the client looked at replacing the vehicles, but the economics did not demand a change was needed. The trucks simply kept going as designed and the load bodies met the operating needs of the operation.
However, in 2017 the client felt they would like to take advantage of the performance and ergonomic improvements in the most recent design of medium trucks. They retired the two old pack-horses and replaced them with completely new load bodies on the Hino latest chassis. Planning to put the ‘two old horses’ on the market and expecting little more than scrap value, they were astonished to find that there was an immediate buyer at a good price.
After a cosmetic refurbishment, thorough servicing and a few security related changes, the trucks started their second life in a valuables-in-transit fleet. They might not be the fastest or the best-looking trucks on the road and the monocoque body may be out of step with the latest in secure load body designs, but they have a proud history of never letting their owner down and, if looked after properly, they will continue to do so for a long time.  A true “Kanniedood”!
(kanniedood is the Afrikaans slang phrase for 'cannot die')

This is a true story.

Mid 2017, early Friday evening in Roodepoorts’ suburbs, the weather unusually warm and perfect for family braai’s or going for a walk. A quiet weekend ahead. 
He was an off-duty urban private security patrolman and had gone to his neighbourhood supermarket to buy the groceries his wife had asked him to get. His accidental mistake? He parked near an adjacent liquor store – which was being robbed!  

The criminals had a sentry outside the door. When the patrolman drove up and parked, he had no idea what was happening, and he never saw what went down. The sentry shot him through the car window, one of the bullets smashing his spine and paralyzing him. They then killed the shop owner before escaping with their loot, firing randomly at the fleeing shoppers in the car park.
The patrolman could have escaped being a victim, if his car had some basic ballistic protection. He might even have prevented the death of the shop owner if he was able to intervene after the thug shot at him. Who knows? Life works in its own way.
Had he been equipped with an armoured patrol car, most certainly the odds would have been less in favour of the thugs. But security companies simply cannot afford an armoured bakkie. Their typical patrol cars cannot be reasonably armoured, which leaves the popular 1-ton bakkie. These big vehicles cost a lot to begin with, add to which the cost of armouring as well as the higher running expenses and the vehicle becomes so expensive that the homeowners it protects would have to pay much higher monthly premiums, which they won’t do. Well, this was the scenario until Ballistic Armour Technologies decided to see what we can do to create a solution. 

After 5 months of experimentation and development, with permission from GMSA, an effective solution was found. Enter the doughty little Chevrolet Utility. This small, tough, inexpensive and cheap to run bakkie is capable of being fully armoured to B4+ level (.44 Magnum hand gun) while still complying with Chevrolet specifications. Chevrolet may have left the country, but with the many thousands of these vehicles running in SA, it is still a viable option to purchase slightly used Utilities and turn them into safe urban patrol vehicles.

Contact us if you would like to know more.

Look at the image of this pick-up. Looks like just another typical pick-up found on the roads you may say; it's good looking, modern and completely normal.
But, look again. Go closer. Better yet, open the door and the true nature of the beast is revealed.
This is a bodyguard in a smart suit; a fully armoured light commercial people or valuables-in-transit vehicle designed to be discreet yet still provide maximum protection to the occupants and contents.

Although the tinted side windows help to hide the interior armour capsule, the real magic lies in the inconspicuous single-piece windscreen. Sourced from the worlds leading armoured glass manufacturers, the optically correct armoured windscreen provides the same level of fitment and view as the standard OEM windscreen, and it stops bullets! Certified to the ballistic level required by the client, this essential component of an effective armour capsule enhances the already discreet BAT design for armoured commercial vehicles.
While this car is not a true fighter in a smart suit, the sliding armour glass side and rear windows (for both single and double-cab variants) can be equipped with gun ports to allow a reasonable degree of defense capability. Unfortunately, the single piece windscreen cannot house a gun port.

Due to the cost of the windscreen, BAT does not include it as a standard part of our quote. If you would like to explore this option, please specify it in your discussions with us.

In collaboration with Isuzu South Africa and Barloworld Isuzu City Deep, BAT has developed an effective small cash-in-transit truck unit. The robust Isuzu NMR250 chassis-cab truck was initially developed specifically for the punishing bread delivery market. With its Automated Manual Transmission, it is suitable for the urban CiT industry where maneuverability is a prerequisite.
Boasting our market leading in-cab armour capsule and armoured to B4+ level, it presents a formidable challenge to criminals. The  Isuzu NMR250 is equipped with a rear load body that can be designed and adapted to multiple functions, depending on the customers requirements.
As with all BAT designs, the entire armour component can be transferred to another vehicle of the same model and the old chassis-cab can be refurbished and sold into the used truck market.