National Safety Apparel

What National Safety Apparel does

National Safety Apparel (NSA) is a Cleveland, Ohio-based manufacturer of personal protective equipment (PPE) and safety apparel, founded in 1935 by Walter "Wally" Grossman. The company designs and produces flame-resistant (FR) and arc-rated (AR) clothing, arc flash PPE, high heat and molten metal protection, cryogenic and cut/abrasion gear, and defense/military apparel, organized under the sub-brands DRIFIRE (industrial and defense), Enespro (electrical safety), NSA High Heat & Industrial, and Wild Things (military cold weather). NSA holds more than 10 U.S. fabric and design patents and proprietary technologies such as DRIFIRE inherent FR fiber (self-extinguishing, moisture-wicking, 3x faster drying than cotton), the ActiveCool Venting Underarm System, PYRAD fabric by GORE-TEX LABS, and aluminized OPF-Carbon Rip-Stop blends rated to ASTM F955 and F1939; products carry NFPA 70E, NFPA 2112, ASTM, ANSI/ISEA, CSA Z462, and Berry Amendment certifications.

NSA operates 11 USA manufacturing plants with more than 600 US-based sewists and 1,300+ employees, making it the largest manufacturer of American-sewn safety apparel. Revenue is generated through wholesale hardware sales of PPE via a domestic distributor network, formalized through a Dealer of Record (DOR) program that provides approved partners with volume-based discounts, streamlined quoting, and dedicated support; pricing is not publicly disclosed. End customers include the U.S. Military, U.S. Postal Service, and U.S. Law Enforcement, alongside broad industrial segments in manufacturing, utilities, electrical, oil and gas, welding, food processing, and cryogenic applications.

Since being acquired by Blue Point Capital Partners in May 2024, NSA has pursued an aggressive buy-and-build strategy, completing at least five add-on acquisitions (Tri-Star Glove, Warren Heim, Bashlin Industries, Gemtor, NASCO Industries) and the Lakeland Industries HPFR/HiViz product line purchase for approximately $14 million. The company announced a CEO transition in June 2026, appointing Michael Enright as the first non-Grossman chief executive in the company's history, with Chuck Grossman Jr. moving to Vice Chairman with an M&A mandate.

Name

National Safety Apparel

Legal name

National Safety Apparel, LLC

Website

https://thinknsa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

National Safety Apparel is a Cleveland-based, US-manufacturer of personal protective equipment, specializing in flame-resistant clothing, arc flash PPE, high heat protection, and defense apparel. Backed by Blue Point Capital Partners since May 2024, NSA operates 11 US plants, serving industrial, utility, electrical, and military customers via a national distributor network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Safety Apparel

NAICS

Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (31599)

SIC

Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)

akta.pro primary industry

Fire-Resistant (FR) & Arc-Rated Apparel (CRAAALAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Workwear, Uniform & Protective Apparel Manufacturers (CRAAAAAH), Workwear, Uniforms & Safety Apparel Cut & Sew (IMAOAEAC), Safety, PPE & Workwear Retail (Gloves, Respirators, Eye/Ear Protection) (CRAIADAK)

Keywords

• Flame resistant clothing
• Arc flash PPE
• Industrial safety apparel
• High heat protection
• Military protective gear

Headquarters

HQ city

Cleveland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Safety Apparel and PPE Product Sales: NSA generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of personal protective equipment (PPE) and safety apparel. Products are sold through a distributor network across the United States. The company offers FR clothing, electrical safety PPE, high heat protection, industrial safety gear, and defense/military apparel.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

National Safety Apparel designs, manufactures, and sells American-sewn personal protective equipment (PPE) and safety apparel for industrial, electrical, and military end-users. Its product portfolio spans flame-resistant (FR) clothing, arc flash PPE, high-heat and aluminized protection, cut and abrasion gear, cryogenic apparel, and defense/military cold weather systems, organized under the DRIFIRE, Enespro, NSA High Heat & Industrial, and Wild Things sub-brands. Products are sold primarily through an authorized U.S. distributor network supported by a Dealer of Record (DOR) Program.

Product overview

National Safety Apparel (NSA) offers a diversified portfolio of personal protective equipment (PPE) organized under multiple sub-brands. The company's offerings are built on a multi-brand platform strategy consisting of: DRIFIRE (Industrial and Defense) for flame-resistant clothing including work wear, rainwear, hi-vis apparel, and military gear; Enespro for electrical safety products including arc flash PPE and protective equipment; NSA High Heat & Industrial for aluminized, welding, and extreme temperature protection; and Wild Things for military cold weather gear. The company operates 11 USA manufacturing plants with over 1,300 employees and more than 600 domestic sewists, enabling rapid prototyping and custom PPE solutions. NSA has pursued aggressive acquisition-driven growth, acquiring companies including NASCO Industries, Gemtor, Bashlin Industries, and Paulson Manufacturing to expand its product portfolio and market coverage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DRIFIRE: FR/AR clothing brand born on the battlefield that delivers protection with performance. Serves both industrial and defense markets.
• Enespro
• NSA High Heat & Industrial
• Wild Things

Products and services

• DRIFIRE (Industrial) FR/AR Clothing Flame-resistant and arc-rated (FR/AR) clothing for industrial workers, featuring inherent FR protection that won't wash out. Includes men's and women's work wear, rainwear, hi-vis apparel, and head and face protection.
• DRIFIRE (Defense) FR Combat and Cold-Weather Gear FR combat and cold-weather gear designed to perform and protect in harsh military environments. Includes base layers, flight suits, combat and field apparel, tops, pants, and accessories.
• Enespro Electrical Safety PPE Electrical safety PPE designed to protect, move, and fit needs on the job. Includes arc flash PPE, electrical hand protection, hot sticks and tools, insulating blankets, and accessories.
• NSA High Heat & Industrial Apparel Advanced safety apparel for industrial workers facing extreme hazards including molten splash, high heat, cut, cryogenic, and food processing applications. Includes aluminized protection, welding PPE, cryogenic PPE, and machinery protection.
• Wild Things Cold Weather Military Gear Cold weather clothing systems for military and tactical use, including base layers, wind shell, soft shell, hard shell, and cold weather gear designed for elite military units.
• NSA CARBON ARMOUR Aluminized OPF Ripstop Jacket Lightweight aluminized jacket providing protection from radiant heat, sparks, and molten metal splash hazards. Features ventilated action back, articulated elbows, and underarm gusset for comfort and mobility.
• DRIFIRE FR Tacoma Heavyweight Zip Front Hoodie Heavyweight fleece hoodie with inherent FR protection (25 cal/cm², CAT 3) that won't wash or wear out. Provides dual hazard protection against arc flash and flash fire.
• Enespro 40 Cal Premium EV Hazard Protection Kit Head-to-toe arc flash protection kit for EV manufacturing and servicing hazards (40 cal/cm², CAT 4). Features PYRAD fabric by GORE-TEX LABS, PureView faceshield technology, and removable dual fans for cooling.
• Enespro AirLite 12 cal Coverall Arc Flash Kit Lightweight arc flash protection kit (12 cal/cm², CAT 2) featuring ActiveCool Venting underarm system with 5x more airflow, 3M Scotchlite reflective trim, and ergonomic design for mobility.
• DRIFIRE Soft Shell Jacket (Defense) Military-grade FR soft shell jacket (FR-L5) with inherent flame resistance, made in the USA with Berry compliant materials. Features zippered pockets, adjustable cuffs, and modern tactical fit.
• Wild Things Low Loft Jacket-SO 2.0 Lightweight insulated jacket using Brookwood Balloon 70 Denier nylon with PrimaLoft Silver Active synthetic insulation. Highly compressible, warm when wet, and designed for military cold weather operations.
• Dealer of Record (DOR) Program A structured channel program rewarding approved distribution partners with competitive discounts based on order volume, streamlined quoting and ordering processes, and dedicated NSA support.

Quantifiable outcome

• DRIFIRE garments dry up to 3x faster than cotton
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature13 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lakeland Industries: Lakeland Industries is a direct competitor manufacturing flame-resistant apparel, high-visibility garments, and chemical protective clothing for industrial and first-responder markets. The two companies directly overlap in FR/AR workwear and high-vis apparel, evidenced by NSA's 2026 acquisition of Lakeland's HPFR and HiViz product lines for ~$14M.
• Bulwark Protection: Bulwark Protection is a leading manufacturer of flame-resistant workwear competing head-to-head with NSA's DRIFIRE industrial line in oil & gas, utilities, and electrical contracting segments. Both companies sell through industrial distributors and target the same NFPA 2112 / NFPA 70E certified workwear buyer.
• Salisbury by Honeywell: Salisbury by Honeywell is a direct manufacturer of arc flash PPE, rubber insulating goods, and live-line tools for electrical utility workers, directly overlapping NSA's Enespro arc flash suits, hot sticks, and insulating blankets. Comparable through shared electrical utility customer base and NFPA 70E positioning.
• Radians: Radians is a manufacturer of personal protective equipment including safety glasses, gloves, and high-visibility apparel. Comparable to NSA as a competing mid-market PPE manufacturer selling through the same industrial distributor channels with overlapping product categories in eye protection (vs. NSA's Paulson Manufacturing subsidiary) and hi-vis apparel.

Broad incumbents

• DuPont Personal Protection: DuPont's Nomex and Tyvek brands are foundational FR fiber and chemical protective fabric suppliers whose materials underpin much of the FR apparel industry, including competing finished garments. Comparable to NSA as the upstream incumbent whose proprietary Nomex fiber competes with NSA's proprietary DRIFIRE fabric technology.
• Honeywell Personal Protective Equipment: Honeywell's Miller, North, and Salisbury brands span arc flash PPE, fall protection, and electrical safety products directly comparable to NSA's Enespro line. As a broad industrial safety incumbent, Honeywell overlaps with NSA across electrical safety PPE but operates at much larger scale with a global footprint.
• 3M Personal Safety Division: 3M's Personal Safety Division sells respiratory protection, hearing protection, and reflective trim (including Scotchlite used in NSA's Enespro kits). Comparable as a broad incumbent in worker safety whose products appear alongside NSA's electrical safety kits and FR garments in industrial PPE catalogs.
• Ansell: Ansell is a global leader in hand and body protection, manufacturing industrial and electrical safety gloves that overlap with NSA's Tri-Star Glove and Enespro electrical hand protection lines. Comparable through shared industrial PPE distribution channels and overlapping electrical safety end-markets.
• MSA Safety: MSA Safety manufactures fall protection, respiratory protection, and gas detection products that overlap with NSA's recently acquired Bashlin (climbing/fall protection) and Gemtor (fall protection/rescue) product lines. Comparable through shared industrial and utility safety end-markets.

Emerging players

• Wolverine Worldwide (Workwear): Wolverine's Wolverine, Bates, and Harley-Davidson Footwear workwear divisions produce industrial and tactical boots with safety toe protection. Comparable to NSA as an adjacent player in worker protective footwear/apparel with overlap in industrial distribution channels, though Wolverine is not a direct FR apparel competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thinknsa
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@NationalSafetyApparel
• Facebookfacebook.com/thinknsa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-safety-apparel
• Instagraminstagram.com/nationalsafetyapparel/?hl=en

Compliance14 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A9 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Safety Apparel