Customer case

Armor steel with the stopping power you are really looking for

November 20, 2024 6 min read

A photo of an armored cash-in-transit vehicle.

Case details

Product Protecting you with the best armor and ballistic steel

Country South Africa

Company Ballistic Armor Technologies (BAT)

Industry Protection and security

Ballistic Armor Technologies (BAT) from Johannesburg, South Africa, has been manufacturing high-end armored vehicles for more than 30 years. They cater mainly to the Cash in Transit industry that need uncompromising protection when transporting valuable goods and the people protecting these goods.

Case details

Product Protecting you with the best armor and ballistic steel

Country South Africa

Company Ballistic Armor Technologies (BAT)

Industry Protection and security

Ready for ballistic and explosive threats

Stopping projectiles from powerful weapons relies mainly on the hardness of the armor steel, while blast forces need the steel to be sufficiently tough in order not to shatter. BAT operates in an environment where both types of threat are very much a reality, with Cash in Transit heists occurring nearly daily in South Africa.

A photo showing the back of an armored cash-in-transit vehicle.

“We make sure that we can specify the steels which are required for the South African weapons versus European or international standards. A growing trend in South Africa is the problem of blasting. The collaboration with SSAB has helped us to mitigate the blast threat.”

- Kerlen, Managing Director at BAT.

An illustration of how the protection performance has doubled in the last 25 years.

BAT trusts Armox^® and Ramor^®

BAT has been exclusively using SSAB’s Armox^® and Ramor^® armor steels for more than 25 years. They have experienced firsthand how these steels have evolved over the years. Today an Armox^® plate gives the same level of safety as a plate twice as thick would have decades ago. This is especially important for armored vehicles that need high protective performance without becoming too heavy.

A photo of a curved steel piece showing the excellent bending properties of Armox® protection steel.

Predictable processing

As a global frontrunner in quenched and tempered steel, SSAB uses advanced metallurgical processes to produce Armox^® and Ramor^®. Guaranteed thickness, flatness and bending properties all contribute to making the steels workshop-friendly. A high toughness relative to the hardness results in good bending properties. Additionally, Armox^® and Ramor^® steel plates have superior cleanliness and a low carbon content that simplifies the welding process.

A great match

“We have a very long-standing relationship with SSAB,” says Kuno Kerlen. “They can supply all of our needs due to the extensive range of steels they have. The specialized nature of SSAB also ties in with our specialized business. We can speak to SSAB experts in Sweden whenever we need, and SSAB also has a local branch, with stockholding and sales reps, which is extremely convenient and helpful.”

A photo of four people talking to each other.

Design and manufacturing in-house

BAT operates a 7000-m² facility on the outskirts of Johannesburg, where they manufacture approximately 20 armored vehicles each month. BAT collaborates closely with its customers to determine their precise needs, which are then translated into mechanical designs utilizing Armox^® or Ramor^® steels. The entire process, from design, fabrication, cutting, and welding to painting, is completed on site. Finally, the finished body is mounted on the vehicle chassis provided by the client. BAT also develops all their own software and hardware in house.