Cooneen Group
Cooneen Group is a privately-held Northern Ireland garment manufacturer established in 1966, producing protective uniforms, body armour, and managed workwear services for police, military, emergency, and aviation clients, alongside licensed consumer apparel sold through UK retailers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1966
- HeadquartersFivemiletown, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Cooneen Group does
Cooneen Group is a privately-held garment manufacturer established in 1966 and headquartered in Fivemiletown, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, operating as a group of five wholly-owned sub-brands: Cooneen Protection (body armour and Bluelight uniforms), Cooneen Defence (military uniforms and layering systems), Cooneen Aviation (military pilot flight equipment and survival/ballistic solutions), Cooneen at Work (public/private sector workwear and managed uniform services), and Cooneen by Design (licensed character apparel). The company serves law enforcement, military, emergency services, aviation, healthcare, and corporate clients, with named anchor customers including the UK Ministry of Defence, UK Police, French Police and Gendarmerie, NHS, Transport for London, and multiple European and Asian air forces; consumer apparel is distributed through UK retailers including John Lewis, Matalan, Next, Asda, and Debenhams, plus the Brand Threads D2C site and online marketplaces.
The group's technology footprint centres on technical textiles, heat management and layering systems, body armour and ballistic protection design, and the Nova C50 Flight Jacket (in active service with multiple air forces). It operates state-of-the-art managed service centres in Wrexham and a design office in Manchester, supported by a bespoke online portal for stockholding, forecasting, pick-and-pack, and returns. Certifications include ISO9001 (continuously since 2005), ISO14001 (continuously since 2008), AS9100 (aviation), SEDEX membership, Zero Waste to Landfill status for Cooneen by Design, and UK Modern Slavery Act compliance.
Revenue is generated through one-time contract manufacturing for government and defence clients via procurement frameworks, recurring managed service contracts with public-sector organisations (notably NHS Lot 1 and Transport for London), and wholesale plus direct-to-consumer distribution of licensed character apparel. The group has offices in Fivemiletown, Manchester, and Wrexham, plus an India presence, and serves customers globally including the UK, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Singapore, New Zealand, and Jamaica.
Cooneen Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cooneen Group
- Legal name
- Cooneen Group
- Website
- https://cooneengroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1966
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Cooneen Group is a privately-held Northern Ireland garment manufacturer established in 1966, producing protective uniforms, body armour, and managed workwear services for police, military, emergency, and aviation clients, alongside licensed consumer apparel sold through UK retailers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cooneen Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Protective Uniforms and Apparel Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (31599)
- SIC
- Ordnance & Accessories, (No Vehicles/Guided Missiles) (3480)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Safety & Law Enforcement Uniforms (CRAAALAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Corporate Uniforms (Office, Hospitality, Retail Staff) (CRAAALAB), Medical & Healthcare Uniforms (Scrubs, Lab Coats) (CRAAALAF), Armor Systems (Passive/Reactive/Active Protection) & Survivability Kits (IMABAJAJ), Protective & Work Accessories Manufacturing (Safety Gloves/Hi-Vis Accessories) (IMAOAFAH)
Keywords
Where Cooneen Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fivemiletown
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Cooneen Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Uniform and Protective Equipment Manufacturing: Design and manufacture of mission-critical uniforms, body armour, and protective equipment for police, military, and bluelight services sold through government procurement frameworks and direct contracts.
- Licensed Apparel: Premium licensed clothing featuring over 100 of the world's most loved characters sold through major UK retailers and own e-commerce platform.
- Managed Services: Full managed service including stockholding, forecasting, storage, distribution, and online portal provision for public and private sector customers.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels1 record
Cooneen Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cooneen Group designs and manufactures mission-critical uniforms, body armour, and protective equipment for police, military, aviation, and emergency services through five specialised divisions. The group also produces licensed character apparel for retail distribution, operating managed service centres that provide stockholding, forecasting, and bespoke online portal services to public and private sector customers.
Product overview
Cooneen Group is a diversified garment manufacturer operating five distinct sub-brands across specialist uniform and protective apparel markets: Cooneen Protection (body armour and Bluelight uniforms), Cooneen Defence (military uniforms and layering systems), Cooneen Aviation (military pilot flight equipment), Cooneen at Work (public/private sector workwear and managed services including NHS ambulance uniform provision), and Cooneen by Design/Brand Threads (licensed character apparel). The portfolio spans mission-critical uniforms for police, military, and emergency services alongside consumer licensed apparel, unified by in-house design, manufacturing, and supply chain capabilities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Cooneen Protection: Design and manufacture of Bluelight uniform items and general-purpose body armour for Police and emergency services.
- Cooneen Defence
- Cooneen Aviation
- Cooneen at Work
- Cooneen by Design
Products and services
- Cooneen Protection Design and manufacture of bluelight uniform items and general-purpose body armour for police, ambulance, and fire sectors. Main supplier of general-purpose body armour to the UK Police and largest supplier to the French Police and Gendarmerie.
- Cooneen Defence Design and manufacture of uniform solutions for global military and police authorities using technical textiles and heat management systems. Largest supplier of uniform to the UK Ministry of Defence. Delivers comprehensive layering systems including base layers, mid layers, and outer layers with taped seam garments.
- Cooneen Aviation Military aviation-focused division providing pilot flight equipment including the Nova C50 Flight Jacket now in active service with European and Asia Air Forces. AS9100 certified with full after-service support.
- Cooneen at Work Provision of garment design, manufacture, storage and distribution for public and private sector customers including police, prison, and NHS. Services include stockholding, forecasting, regular deliveries and returns, individual pick-and-pack, and a bespoke online portal. Supplies core NHS National Ambulance Uniform nationally across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- Cooneen by Design (Brand Threads) Design and manufacturing of licensed garments featuring over 100 of the world's most loved characters. Available through UK retailers including John Lewis, Matalan, Next, and Asda, plus own Brand Threads direct-to-consumer website and online marketplaces.
- Nova C50 Flight Jacket Military aviation flight jacket certified for active service with European and Asia Air Forces, part of the Cooneen Aviation product portfolio.
Quantifiable outcome
- Cooneen India office provided mosquito nets to local school children - community impact initiative
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Cooneen Group
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Cooneen Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Cooneen Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- SlimstockcoreStrategic partnership where Cooneen Group will implement Slimstock's Slim4 supply chain planning platform to replace legacy systems and spreadsheet-based processes. The goal is to improve forecast accuracy, automate procurement, enhance operational visibility, and future-proof operations as the company continues to expand.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Cooneen Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Seyntex: Belgian textile manufacturer producing technical uniforms, ballistic protection and layering systems for NATO militaries and police forces. Direct competitor to Cooneen Defence and Cooneen Protection across European defence tenders.
- Survitec Group: UK-based supplier of survival and ballistic solutions for defence, marine and aviation markets. Overlaps directly with Cooneen Aviation's survival and ballistic flight-equipment portfolio and competes for similar MoD and aviation contracts.
- Point Blank Enterprises: US-headquartered body armour and ballistic protection manufacturer supplying police and military globally. Direct competitor in the body-armour segment where Cooneen Protection leads UK and French police supply.
- Ballyclare: UK-based protective workwear and uniform manufacturer serving emergency services, defence and industrial customers. Closest UK direct peer to Cooneen at Work and Cooneen Defence in tendered uniform workwear.
- Alsico: Belgian workwear and uniform manufacturer with strong presence in healthcare, industry and public-sector tenders across Europe. Direct competitor to Cooneen at Work for NHS and corporate uniform contracts.
- Mehler Vario System: German manufacturer of modular ballistic protection, load-carrying equipment and tactical vests for police and military. Direct competitor in the body-armour and protective-equipment segment.
- ArmorSource / Central Lake Armor Express: US-based body armour and ballistic helmet manufacturer supplying US DoD, federal agencies and allied militaries. Direct competitor to Cooneen Protection in the global body-armour market.
Emerging players
- BCB International: UK-based military and survival equipment manufacturer producing combat clothing, fire-resistant garments and survival kits. Comparable to Cooneen Defence and Aviation, with overlap in MoD and NATO tenders.
- Helikon-Tex: Polish tactical and military apparel manufacturer with growing European footprint in combat clothing and uniforms. Comparable product line to Cooneen Defence in the tactical-apparel category.
Broad incumbents
- Fristads Kansas Group: Large Scandinavian workwear and protective-clothing group serving industrial, healthcare and public-sector customers across Europe. Broader incumbent competing with Cooneen at Work on corporate and healthcare uniform tenders.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cooneen Group social profiles
Digital presenceCooneen Group compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Cooneen Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cooneen Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Cooneen Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
Cooneen Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cooneen Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cooneen Group
What does Cooneen Group do?
Cooneen Group designs and manufactures mission-critical uniforms, body armour, and protective equipment for police, military, aviation, and emergency services through five specialised divisions. The group also produces licensed character apparel for retail distribution, operating managed service centres that provide stockholding, forecasting, and bespoke online portal services to public and private sector customers.
Is Cooneen Group a public or private company?
Cooneen Group is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Cooneen Group founded?
Cooneen Group was founded in 1966. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Cooneen Group based?
Cooneen Group is headquartered in Fivemiletown, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Cooneen Group make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Uniform and Protective Equipment Manufacturing is the primary driver. The others are licensed Apparel and managed Services.
Who are Cooneen Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Seyntex, Survitec Group, Point Blank Enterprises, Ballyclare, Alsico, Mehler Vario System and ArmorSource / Central Lake Armor Express. Emerging players are BCB International and Helikon-Tex. Fristads Kansas Group is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Cooneen Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cooneen Group.
What industry is Cooneen Group in?
Cooneen Group's product category is Protective Uniforms and Apparel Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAAALAC, Public Safety & Law Enforcement Uniforms, with a secondary code of CRAAALAB, Corporate Uniforms (Office, Hospitality, Retail Staff). Its NAICS code is 31599 and its SIC code is 3480.