What Mills Manufacturing does

Mills Manufacturing Corporation is a third-generation, family-owned defense contractor headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, founded in 1935 by Ernest A. Mills as a women's silk undergarment producer in New York City before pivoting to military cut & sew during World War II. Following a large Korean War-era cargo parachute contract, the company relocated to Asheville in 1952 and has since operated exclusively as a manufacturer of military parachute systems, holding the position of the oldest continuously American-owned military parachute maker in the US. The company maintains a 150,000 square foot facility with 800+ sewing machines and a workforce of approximately 150 employees, of whom roughly 35% hold inspection-related job titles, many with more than 20 years of individual parachute manufacturing experience.

Mills operates a build-to-print prime contractor model, manufacturing the full range of US military parachute systems under government specifications: airborne troop parachutes (T-10, MC1 series, and the T-11 Advanced Tactical Parachute System), cargo parachutes (G-11, G-12, G-14) with payload capacities from 500 to 42,000 lbs, extraction parachutes, deceleration/drag parachutes (F-4, F-5, F101), emergency and ejection seat parachutes, plus ancillary items including packs, harnesses, pilot chutes, flare parachutes, and specialized drone recovery parachutes. All manufacturing is performed in-house with no outsourcing, utilizing advanced textile materials (Kevlar, Nomex, Cordura Nylon, specialized fabrics) and a Gerber Automatic Cutter for precision component fabrication. The company is ISO 9001 certified, Berry Amendment compliant (100% US-sourced raw materials), and maintains a full-time government Quality Assurance Representative on site.

The business model is anchored in long-term direct procurement contracts with the US Department of Defense (all five armed forces branches: Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy) and export sales to more than 65 international allied nations under US Department of Commerce Export Administration Regulations. A secondary revenue stream consists of contract cut & sew manufacturing services for established commercial and industrial businesses, leveraging the same military-grade textile capabilities for non-defense applications. The company is led by John Oswald, who joined in 1998 as Ernest Mills' grandson-in-law, and is privately held with no external investors, parent company, or public capital structure.

Name

Mills Manufacturing

Legal name

Mills Manufacturing Corporation

Website

https://millsmanufacturing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mills Manufacturing is a third-generation, family-owned defense contractor in Asheville, NC, manufacturing military parachute systems and components for the US Department of Defense and 65+ international allied nations since 1935.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Military Parachute Manufacturing

NAICS

Fabric Mills (3132), Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing (3152)

SIC

Broadwoven Fabric Mills, Man Made Fiber & Silk (2221), Textile Mill Products (2200)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Fabric Mills (Performance/Protective/Medical Substrates) (IMAOABAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Coated & Laminated Base Fabric Mills (Pre-finish Substrates) (IMAOABAI)

Keywords

• Military parachute manufacturing
• Cut and sew services
• Aerospace deceleration parachutes
• Tactical textile products
• Defense contract manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Asheville

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Military Parachute Systems: Prime contractor manufacturing military parachutes for US Department of Defense including airborne troop parachutes, cargo parachutes, extraction parachutes, deceleration parachutes, and emergency parachutes. Long-term government contracts with all five branches of US Armed Forces and 65+ international allies.
2. Military Cut & Sew Services: Contract manufacturing services for military textile products in compliance with Berry Amendment requiring 100% US-sourced materials
3. Commercial & Industrial Cut & Sew: Large-scale custom cut and sew manufacturing for non-military commercial and industrial businesses including outdoor recreation, textile, safety, and other industries

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Mills Manufacturing is a build-to-print manufacturer specializing in military parachute systems, including airborne troop, cargo, extraction, deceleration, and emergency parachutes, as well as ancillary items such as packs, harnesses, flare parachutes, and drone recovery parachutes. The company also offers large-scale commercial and industrial cut and sew manufacturing services for clients requiring military-grade textile quality. All production is performed in-house at its Asheville, NC facility using Berry Amendment-compliant, 100% US-sourced materials.

Product overview

Mills Manufacturing is a family-owned military parachute and commercial cut & sew manufacturing company serving the US Department of Defense and over 65 international allies for over 75 years. The product portfolio centers on military parachute systems including airborne troop parachutes (T-10, MC1, T-11 series), cargo parachutes (G-11, G-12, G-14), extraction parachutes, deceleration parachutes, and emergency/ejection seat parachutes. The company also manufactures ancillary components including packs, harnesses, flare parachutes, and drone recovery parachutes. Beyond military products, Mills Manufacturing offers contract cut & sew manufacturing services for commercial and industrial businesses requiring military-grade textile quality. All manufacturing is performed in-house at the Asheville, NC facility with Berry Amendment compliance requiring 100% US-sourced materials for military products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Airborne Troop Parachutes Military personnel parachutes for airborne troop deployment, including T-10, MC1, and T-11 series assemblies designed for safe troop delivery from aircraft. Sold to US DoD and international allied militaries under prime defense contracts.
• Cargo Parachutes Parachute systems for airdrop delivery of supplies, equipment, and heavy loads, including G-11, G-12, and G-14 cargo parachute assemblies with payload capacities from 100 to 42,000 lbs.
• Extraction Parachutes
• Deceleration Parachutes Aircraft braking parachutes (drag parachutes) designed to reduce tire and brake wear, including F-4 and F-5 models for high-speed jet aircraft.
• Emergency Parachutes Ejection seat and pilot emergency parachutes, including the C-9 rescue parachute and T-10R reserve parachute assemblies for aircraft pilot safety.
• Drone Recovery Parachutes Specialized parachutes for unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) recovery operations.
• Flare Parachutes Small parachutes with illuminating flares used for nighttime military operations, available in 60mm, 81mm, 120mm, and 155mm sizes.
• Packs and Harnesses Parachute harnesses, packs, and ancillary equipment components for personnel and cargo parachute assemblies.
• Military Cut & Sew Services Military-grade cut and sew manufacturing for the US Department of Defense, compliant with Berry Amendment requirements for 100% US-sourced materials. Includes tents, mosquito netting, and other military sewn items.
• Contract Cut & Sew Manufacturing Custom cut and sew manufacturing services for commercial and industrial businesses, providing military-grade quality textile products for non-military clients including outdoor recreation, safety, and other industries.

Quantifiable outcome

• Mission success rate - 'bring our troops safely to the ground 100% of the time' per company mission statement
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• BRS Aerospace: Manufacturer of ballistic recovery parachutes for general aviation and increasingly for drone/UAS applications. Adjacent competitor in drone recovery parachutes, an emerging product category where Mills is also present.
• ParaZero: Israeli-founded developer of autonomous drone recovery parachute systems for commercial and defense UAS. Emerging competitor and adjacent player in the drone recovery parachute segment where Mills also operates.
• Performance Designs: Largest manufacturer of sport skydiving parachutes with growing defense and commercial custom sewn products business. Adjacent peer with overlapping technical parachute manufacturing capability and cut-and-sew expertise.

Direct peers

• Strong Enterprises: Manufacturer of military and sport parachutes including cargo and personnel systems, with a long history in the parachute industry. Competes with Mills in select troop and cargo parachute categories.
• Airborne Systems: One of the largest dedicated military parachute manufacturers globally, producing troop, cargo, and drogue parachutes for US and allied forces. Direct competitor to Mills across most product categories including airborne troop and cargo systems.
• Pioneer Aerospace: Former Irvin Aerospace/Pioneer, a long-established manufacturer of military parachutes including cargo extraction systems, deceleration chutes, and personnel parachutes. Direct competitor to Mills in DoD prime contracting.
• Irvin-GQ: UK-based military parachute manufacturer supplying NATO and allied forces, including troop and cargo systems. Direct competitor to Mills in the international allied defense market.
• Switlik Parachute Company: Family-owned manufacturer of aviation life-support equipment including emergency parachutes, anti-exposure suits, and aviation safety products. Direct competitor particularly in the emergency/ejection seat parachute segment.

Broad incumbents

• Safran Aerosystems: Major aerospace systems supplier producing aircraft deceleration parachutes, evacuation slides, and life-support equipment. Broad incumbent competing with Mills primarily in the deceleration/landing parachute segment for military aircraft.

Regional players

• Eagle Industries / Velocity Systems: US-based Berry-Compliant manufacturer of tactical nylon gear, pouches, and packs for military and law enforcement. Adjacent peer with overlapping Berry-compliant cut-and-sew capability and defense customer base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Mills Manufacturing