MADISON, Indiana, USA (Sept. 5, 2007) -- They bolt on in minutes -- in the field -- and on the fly, swapping out 50-year old incandescent lighting technology with a brighter, rugged, forward or rear light that actually helps military vehicles hide better from the enemy.

   "And that is just the beginning of what we at Grote Industries have done with our Military Products Performance LED^TM Retrofit Kits to help the military's fighting men and women," said Dominic Grote, vice president of sales and marketing.

   "Finally, the military has a legitimate solution for retrofitting LEDs onto incandescent-carrying HMMWVs," Grote continued.

   Grote's answer met a challenge that had stumped lighting experts around the world: getting a military-grade LED retrofit system to operate with the vehicle's existing lighting control electronics, such as the flasher and turn signal switch components.

   "Mission now accomplished," said Grote.

   Designed to be installed fast, without the need for modifications to the lamp housing or wiring, the Grote Retrofit LED Kit for High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMWWVs) is lighter, lasts longer, uses 80 percent fewer amps than original lighting equipment (freeing up vehicle power for other functions), is vibration resistant and is less reflective, reducing the signature an enemy could lock in on.

   "In today's combat situations, electro-magnetic interference (EMI) allows the enemy to detect exactly where our war fighters and our equipment are positioned. The Grote Military Products Retrofit LED Kit's circuit design has eliminated the threat of detectable lamp EMI," said Matthew Drake, manager -- military products.

   "When it came to designing, building and testing a military vehicle lamp, we went straight to the source: members of the U.S. Army; the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Army National Guard, in the field. We sent them the product and got their feedback. The result is a product we believe will not only help complete missions, but save lives," said Drake.

   The kit's LED Blackout Drive Lamp has improved optics that help drivers see both farther down the road and peripherally, according to Drake. Its LED Blackout Front and Rear Marker Lamps, with camouflaged lens, also eliminate the telltale signature that exposes the vehicle to enemy attack.

   Offered in Military Green or Desert Tan, the kits reduce the need to mask and paint the housing, making integration simple and fast.

   "Grote's Performance LED Retrofit Kit lamps take a critical fighting tool from 1950s technology to the 21st Century," Drake said.

   "We all know the benefits of LEDs," Drake added. "They're longer lasting, feature solid-state electronics, produce far less heat than incandescent or fluorescent lamps, and are far more durable and energy efficient, so they pull less power away from the vehicle's other critical needs. They also save lives, and at the leader in vehicle safety systems, that's what we're all about."

  Grote Electronics, an ISO/TS16949:2002 facility joins other Grote Industries' North American operations in the United States and Monterey, Mexico.

 Grote Industries is a QS-9000, TS 16949 and ISO 14001 certified company. The leading manufacturer and marketer of vehicle safety systems products, Grote Industries makes LED, fluorescent and incandescent lamps, mirrors, wiring systems, turn signal switches, connection accessories and reflective accessories. For more than 100 years, Grote has provided state-of-the-art solutions for OEM and after-market customers worldwide. Headquartered in Madison, Indiana, USA, Grote also maintains joint venture operations in Europe and Asia.

Performance LED is a trademark of Grote Industries.

High Resolution Image:

Military HMMWV Retrofit Kit

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