INDUSTRY INTERVIEW: Military Systems Group
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When Military Systems Group was formed in 1984, she continued working in administration and operations. Over the years, she has been responsible for quoting, purchasing, ATF and export licensing, contract administration, and general accounting and administrative functions. In 2007, upon the death of her mother, Kathryn Horton, she inherited part ownership of the company and currently oversees the day-to-day operations of Military Systems Group.
Q: Let’s start with a little background on the company.
A: Military Systems Group Inc. [MSG] is a majority woman-owned small business founded in 1984 by Pony Maples and Kathryn Horton. Located in Nashville, Tenn., MSG is an enterprising company experienced in the design, testing, manufacture and system integration of minor caliber weapon systems for various applications. In 1977, the two MSG principals formed a company that was the first to manufacture the .50 caliber M2HB machine gun since 1945. Between 1977 and 1984, more than 3,000 M2HBs were built along with major parts of the MK19 MOD3 40 mm grenade launcher under contract to the U.S. Navy.
Kathryn Horton died in May 2007, and Pony Maples retired in December of the same year, but the company they started continues on under the leadership of Kay’s children— William Horton and myself.
At MSG, we believe that the understanding of weapons and how they work is vital and foundational to the design and manufacturing of our gun mount systems. MSG’s products have included naval and vehicular mounting systems for 5.56 mm through 40 mm, and over 100 other enhancements for military vehicles. We maintain our own supply of weapons under 25 mm to aid in design, prototyping and testing.
We also believe the end-user is the best source of information for the design and improvement of its products. Toward this end, MSG routinely interviews troops returning from combat to determine unmet needs or problems they are experiencing in the field. Using this information, MSG designs equipment that will increase the effectiveness of those troops when they are called upon again. We truly believe that it is the troops in the field we are supporting. Therefore, MSG is committed to supplying the best mounting systems and platform enhancements to our troops every day and in every way that we can.
Q: What do you consider your main product line?
A: While we have numerous items in our product line, the main product we provide is knowledge, information and the ability to provide a solution for the customer’s need. Whether it is an existing product, a modification of an existing product, or a new product, it is our focus to provide the customer with the best mounting solution for their application. Q: In a crowded marketplace, how do you make yourself stand out?
A: What makes our product stand out is the knowledge base it is designed on—we understand how weapons work, and we make it a priority to understand how the user wants the application to function. We then strive to come up with the best solution for that application.
Q: What is your position in the market sector?
A: Military Systems Group Inc. is the industry leader in weapon mounting solutions for military, government and original equipment manufacturers. We lead our domestic and foreign competitors in mounting solutions for land platforms and are aggressively establishing ourselves as a leader in solutions for sea and air platforms.
Our quality and dependable product delivery has established us as a competitive market force and is setting the standard for the industry. MSG’s extensive knowledge, operator’s perspective, and cutting-edge engineering holds us in high regard with our customers and is emphasized by the demand for our integration and consulting services. MSG is a flexible, progressive company that will continue in its leadership of the mounting solutions market.
Q: When did you start doing business with the military?
A: Military Systems Group is an established player in the military market supplying gun mounts and related equipment since 1984.
Q: Any recent successes you can share?
A: One example of success has been our work with the U.S. Marine Corps. They came to us needing a solution for mounting the M240 machine gun up on the turret of the vehicle, and we were able to quickly come up with a solution for their needs. This solution has become the standard for the USMC and has recently been issued an NSN.
Q: What do you do to stay relevant to the military community?
A: We work hard to stay current on all vehicle programs and military requirements to ensure that our mounting solutions are compatible with those programs. ♦
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