Cardiff company scoops Wales Innovation Award for Blast Boxers

Cardiff-based company, BCB International Ltd, scooped up the Wales Quality Centre’s Wales Innovation Award at a presentation ceremony last night in Cardiff City Hall for its Blast Boxers -a pair of boxer shorts which help protect soldiers against blast injuries to the groin area caused by Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

Recently published data from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) shows that in the first nine months of 2010 more troops suffered serious injuries in explosions in Afghanistan than the whole of 2009.  Significant amongst the injuries caused by IEDs are those to the groin area which is under protected by the normal body armour. 

Andrew Howell, the Managing Director of Cardiff based BCB International said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this award in recognition of our innovative Blast Boxers.  We saw off stiff competition from great shortlisted companies.  We developed the Blast Boxers to help protect our great soldiers against potentially life threatening and life changing injuries to the groin area from IEDs.

“The Blast Boxers are a pair of protective shorts made from Kevlar and a special comfortable fabric worn instead of underwear which have been extensively tried and tested.  Recent ballistic trials have shown that the Blast Boxers provide significant protection of the soft groin area against some of the fragments and upward blast from an IED.

“We believe that the Blast Boxers will make a real difference and help save lives.  Since coming out on the market this summer, the Boxers have proved enormously popular with not only soldiers but also their wives and girlfriends.”