Made in New Jersey: The Trenton manufacturer behind life-saving gear worldwide
The company once outfitted the expeditions and record-setting attempts of Amelia Earhart, Wiley Post and Admiral Richard Byrd.
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From life jackets on airplanes to equipment used by the military and first responders, there’s a good chance you’ve relied on a product made right in New Jersey’s capital city, Trenton.
In this week’s Made in New Jersey, News 12’s Jack Ford takes us inside Switlik Survival Products, where a warehouse is filled with life vests, rafts, dry suits and other survival equipment being heat-taped and sewn together.
“The company was founded by my great-grandfather, Stanley Schmidt,” said Sarah Switlik, president of Switlik Survival Products. “When he came to the Trenton area, he purchased a canvas and leather goods shop. Over the years, that evolved into manufacturing parachutes and other safety and survival equipment.”
In the 1930s, when it was known as the Switlik Parachute & Equipment Company, the business was the largest manufacturer of parachutes in the country. The company outfitted the expeditions and record-setting attempts of Amelia Earhart, Wiley Post and Admiral Richard Byrd.
Its FAA-approved life vests can be found on passenger airplanes, but the company also produces anti-gravity suits worn by fighter pilots to help them withstand extreme pressure.
“It’s really something that I feel passionate about, and a lot of our employees feel passionate about as well,” Switlik said. “To know that the gear and equipment we’re making makes a difference, that it has to work, and that it’s involved in saving lives.”
For more information, visit Switlik’s website.
