An innovative business that has received funding and support from the Ministry of Defence to develop its sports and survival equipment has taken a big step towards exporting its products to the Malaysian Army.

Crib Gogh, based in Stoke-On-Trent, has developed a vest and rucksack Soldier System which works together to provide unique energy dissipation and ergonomic weight distribution, allowing dismounted personnel to be effective on the ground for longer. Designed in conjunction with the Royal College of Physicians, the vest and rucksack finished first against leading market manufacturers in like-for-like tests.

The firm started working with the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) in 2009 when it got involved with Dstl’s Centre for Defence Enterprise (CDE), which offers funding and support to businesses that develop new and emerging technologies.

Crib Gogh founder Steve Heaward said: “The relationship with Dstl has allowed me to develop the Soldier System to levels that no one else had thought of. I believe the UK is still a driving force behind innovation within the defence industry, and the type of support that Dstl can offer SMEs will help maintain the quality and direction of that innovation.”