MARCH 12, 2012, St. Louis, Missouri, USA... The Lighthouse for the Blind-St. Louis, a not-for-profit manufacturing and packaging organization with a dedicated social service mission, has been added to the federal procurement list to package detachable, carbon steel disposal surgical knife blades for the U.S Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). The Lighthouse procurement agreement with DLA took effect March 3, 2012.

The Lighthouse will package an undisclosed number of the blades for the U.S Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which serves U.S. military personnel and operations worldwide.

Brian Houser, Lighthouse Director of Sales & Marketing, said, “We are honoured to serve the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency and the U.S. Military via this new procurement agreement.  The Lighthouse is excited about this award and as a result will source and package three different types of carbon steel disposal surgical knife blades from lots of 100  to a smaller unit of measure (LUM) consisting of six  blades per pack.   We are prepared to begin this LUM project immediately.”

As a Department of Defense combat support agency, DLA provides the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, other federal agencies, and joint and allied forces, with a variety of logistics, acquisition and technical services. The agency sources and provides nearly 100 percent of the consumable items America’s military forces need to operate, from food, fuel and energy, to uniforms, medical supplies, and construction and barrier equipment. DLA also supplies more than 80 percent of the military’s spare parts. Headquartered at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, DLA has about 27,000 employees worldwide and supports more than 2,178 weapon systems.

This new DLA procurement agreement with the Lighthouse is in conjunction with the AbilityOne™ program, a federal initiative to help people who are blind and disabled find meaningful employment through nonprofit agencies that sell products and services to the U.S. government. Recently, the Lighthouse’s Biobased Liquid Hand Soap, sold under the SKILCRAFT® brand, was among the first products selected and certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to display the USDA’s BioPreferred label. The Lighthouse continues to formulate and reformulate existing products to be added to the USDA’s BioPreferred Program.

Also known as LHB Industries, Lighthouse for the Blind-Saint Louis is a non-profit entity that helps adults and children who are visually impaired maintain dignity and independence by offering Employment, Education and Support Services. The Lighthouse and its employees manufacture, assemble, warehouse and sell high-quality products to government and business customers nationwide including first aid kits, medical kits, catheters, aerosol and liquid paints, aerosol and liquid cleaning products, eco-friendly products and many others.

All sales revenues directly support Lighthouse programs including Professional Career Development; Special Technology and Adaptive Resources for Students (STARS); Summer Jobs for Students; Continuing Education; Arts & Entertainment Accessibility; Low Vision Aid; and many others available for individuals who are legally blind and visually impaired in Missouri and Southwestern Illinois.

For information, contact Brittney Smithers, Marketing & Sales Specialist, at toll-free 800.542.3697, or 314.423.4333, or visit the website http://www.lhbindustries.com.  Media contact: Jeff Dunlap at 314.993.6925.

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