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  1. What Bullet-Resistant Panels Really Mean

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    Fiberglass ballistic-resistant panels are commonly used for comprehensive ballistic and storm protection. While the term “bullet-resistant” is often used interchangeably in the industry, it’s important to understand what this actually means and why not all panels are created equal. In this guide, we’ll share what truly makes panels bullet-resistant and the features that can be incorporated to meet the security requirements of your application.

    UL 752 Certification and Compliance

    One of the most important factors to consider when evaluating bullet-resistant fiberglass panels is whether they meet recognized ballistic safety standards. UL 752, a set of rigorous ballistic standards developed by UL Solutions, is the most common standard used and is also the most up-to-date method of determining whether a panel is truly designed to be bullet-resistant.

    What Bullet-Resistant Means

    Bullet-resistant fiberglass panels are composed of multiple layers of woven fiberglass. Within these layers are small pockets that absorb and disperse the energy from a ballistic impact. When a bullet strikes, the panel’s controlled delamination process causes the layers to separate, absorbs impact, and prevents full penetration. Under UL 752, a material is considered “bullet-resisting” if it can prevent complete penetration by a bullet or bullet fragment and spalling on the protected side.

    Explaining the Levels Scale

    UL 752 defines multiple protection levels. Each one corresponds to specific firearm types, ammunition, and the number of rounds a material can withstand before failure.

    Below is a general breakdown of UL 752 levels for fiberglass panels:

    • Level 1. Protection against 9mm full metal ammunition rounds. Often used in gas stations, retail stores, pharmacies, and transaction windows.
    • Level 2. Tested for .357 Magnum jacketed lead soft point rounds. Common in banks, credit unions, and check-cashing businesses.
    • Level 3. Effective against three shots from a .44 Magnum within a 4.6-meter range. Frequently installed in schools, courthouses, government facilities, and law enforcement buildings.
    • Levels 4–5. Designed for higher-caliber rifle threats. Typically used in embassies, high-risk facilities, and specific military applications.
    • Level 6. Effective against 9 mm rounds fired through submachine guns. Used in high-security environments where protection against ballistic threats is critical.
    • Level 7. Shields against 5.56mm rounds from military assault rifles like the M-16. Used in military and high-level government security.
    • Level 8. Protects against 7.62mm rifle rounds from weapons like the M-14. Primarily deployed for military defense.

    Why ArmorCore® Panels Are Trusted for Real Protection

    ArmorCore® bullet-resistant fiberglass panels have been used in diverse environments, from bank lobbies and courtrooms to military transport vehicles and police training facilities. These have a well-earned reputation for delivering reliable protection against bullets and blast fragments while maintaining versatility for different architectural and operational needs.

    ArmorCore offers both standard and custom panels to fit virtually any installation. Every panel undergoes stringent testing against a range of ballistic threats, ensuring compliance with UL 752 standards. The company’s efficient manufacturing processes lead to cost-effective solutions and quick turnaround times without compromising quality.

    By combining durability, tested performance, and adaptability, our panels have become the preferred choice for various applications, including:

    • Commercial buildings
    • Financial institutions
    • Government facilities and embassies
    • Grid and utility security infrastructure
    • Healthcare settings requiring controlled access
    • Law enforcement and corrections facilities
    • Military defense and transport systems
    • Safe rooms and schools

    Bullet-Resistant Barriers from ArmorCore

    In the world of security architecture, not all “bullet-resistant” claims are backed by the same level of testing and compliance. ArmorCore’s adherence to UL 752 ballistic standards ensures that every panel we produce meets verified safety criteria, providing both physical protection and peace of mind.

    With nearly 30 years of experience and a singular focus on ballistic fiberglass panel manufacturing, ArmorCore continues to lead the industry in quality, performance, and customer support. Whether you’re securing a retail storefront, a financial institution, a government building, or a private safe room, ArmorCore’s solutions are designed to meet your needs without compromise.

    To learn more about ArmorCore bullet-resistant fiberglass panels, contact us or request a quote.

  2. Waco Composites Recognized By OSHA

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    Waco Composites, manufacturer of fiberglass ballistic resistant materials, was recently recognized for the company’s safety program by the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration.

    With recognition through OSHA’s Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP), Waco Composites remains one of only two companies in Waco with this designation.

    SHARP is an on-site consultation program recognizing small employers who operate an exemplary safety and health management system. Acceptance of a worksite into SHARP from OSHA is an achievement of status that recognizes a business as a model for worksite safety and health.

    Upon receiving SHARP recognition, OSHA exempts worksites from OSHA programmed inspections during the period that the SHARP certification is valid.

    “As manufacturers of ArmorCore®, a bullet-resistant panel, we are aware of the need for workplace safety and protection,” said Wayne Hampton, President of Waco Composites

    ”It’s at the heart of who we are.”

    “We have been working with OSHCON, a consultative service through the State of Texas since 2004, and of the 58 different criteria that OSHCON considers, our company has consistently achieved high scores in all areas.”

    The company is continually striving for improvement in safety and health programs, according to Hampton. “Kaizen,” the concept of continuous improvement, has been a major focus for Waco Composites since the company obtained ISO 9001-2015 certification three years ago.

    “We invite our insurance underwriters, the fire marshal, outside vendors and other organizations in to look at our operation and provide suggestions for improvement, look for hazards, and perform testing for dust, noise and vapor hazards,” Hampton said. “We have been continually praised for the cleanliness of our operation.”

    “The SHARP recognition validates our dedication to providing a safe and healthful workplace for our employees, and represents a great deal of hard work on the part of our management and staff to make safety within our facility a priority in all we do.”

     

  3. ArmorCore® Panels Exhibited At Home Preparedness Show

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    ArmorCore® bullet resistance fiberglass, manufactured by Waco Composites, was among the products and services on display June 23 at the RAM Home Safety Prep Show in New Orleans.

    The exhibition, sponsored by “Popular Mechanics,” featured local first responders, Popular Mechanics editors, weather professionals and survival experts offering families information on how to survive any disaster and thrive in the aftermath.

    “Having a protected room for you and your family to go to is an important component of preparedness when a storm – figuratively and literally – approaches,” said Justin Clark, Waco Composites market development specialist. “ArmorCore® panels are an ideal solution for residential safe rooms, providing protection from flying debris in a storm in addition to the reliable ballistic protection and resistance against a wide range of assault tools that could be used in a home attack.”

    “For many people, the addition of a safe room constructed with ArmorCore® panels adds the peace-of-mind that in the event of an intrusion or natural threat, they have a solid plan for their own security.”

    The ArmorCore® ballistic resistant panels demonstrated at the New Orleans exhibition have been installed in a wide range of security-risk locations, including money rooms, courtrooms, cashier areas, and military personnel carriers.

    ArmorCore® Level 3 panels carry a Class IV “Forced Entry Protection” rating per ASTM standard F1233-98, which means they have been tested against an assortment of attack tools, such as sledge hammer, chisel and cutting torch. The U.L. Level 3 designation indicates that the panel was shown to provide ballistic resistance against a .44 magnum handgun. The company offers panels in all eight of the U.L. ballistic-resistant levels.

    “As rising numbers of people increase their awareness about personal protection, we are pleased that ArmorCore® panels are becoming recognized as a cost-effective solution for safe rooms in their homes and businesses,” Clark said.

  4. Waco Composites Certified As ISO 9001:2015 Compliant

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    Waco Composites Certified As ISO 9001:2015

    Waco Composites was again found to be compliant with high quality management standards following the company’s full ISO 9001:2015 certification audit this year.

    Waco Composites, manufacturer of ArmorCore® fiberglass ballistic resistant materials, first became certified through the International Organization for Standardization in 2009 after a comprehensive registration and audit process. This most recent certification confirms the company has maintained its process for quality manufacturing.

    “ISO was a real opportunity for us to set goals for quality management and achieve recognition for reaching those goals,” said Wayne Hampton, President of Waco Composites

    “Each of our employees is responsible for knowing and adhering to our company policy statement and our company objectives.”

    ISO 9001:2015 specifies requirements for a quality management system where an organization needs to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide product that meets customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, and aims to enhance customer satisfaction through the effective application of the system, including processes for continual improvement of the system and the assurance of conformity to customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.

    “At Waco Composites, our faithfulness to standards of quality were formalized in our Quality Commitment, ‘Every ArmorCore® panel is made with our deliberate understanding that a life will depend upon the integrity of our product. High quality materials, skilled craftsmanship, and the best manufacturing processes will be utilized in the fabrication of every panel. Continual improvement and validation through product testing will ensure that our panels have the ballistic resistive integrity that we say they have,’” said Waco Composites Quality Assurance Manager Nina Whitworth.

    Manufacturing ArmorCore® fiberglass panels that consistently meet or exceed the bullet resistive properties of the UL 752 Standard and achieving 100% on-time shipping are among Waco Composites’ company objectives, according to Hampton.

    “Participation in the ISO program has made us a better and more efficient company,” Hampton said. “But it is also just as important as a benchmark that assures our customers that they are receiving the best bullet resistant building material available.”

  5. Integrating With Designers’ Needs

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    As Building Information Modeling (BIM) has become embraced by an increasing number of building designers and construction professionals, providing accurate and complete models of engineered and specified products is critical to remaining current in the industry.

    A recent report by McGraw-Hill Construction showed that 74 percent of contractors are now utilizing BIM technology, and that BIM usage among owners, architects, contractors and engineers is higher than 70 percent.

    Through a cooperative program with ARCAT (www.arcat.com), Waco Composites has continued to be an innovator in bullet resistant material, with BIM models of ballistic resistant fiberglass panels achieving all eight levels of UL 752 standards.

    The needs of architects and engineers have evolved, requiring new methods of product information which can help save time and expand the way construction and building operational information is presented and delivered. We remain committed to ensuring that ArmorCore® bullet resistant panels are not only the most reliable and efficient solution available, but are also presented with complete and accurate information that meets the needs of designers of risk-based security construction projects.

    These are exciting times in the development of construction design, as powerful new tools and methods are making design-build projects more attractive and affordable, and the team at Waco Composites is determined to set the standard within the bullet resistance industry.

  6. Customer “Proofs” Bulletproofing

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    A Customer Of Waco Composites Has Bypassed The Formal Laboratory Testing For A Trial By “Live Fire.”

    Waco Composites, manufacturer of ArmorCore® fiberglass ballistic resistant materials, typically implements rigorous quality testing and regular audits in controlled laboratory environments in order to maintain its UL Listing and assure its performance. Set to air on National Geographic’s Doomsday Preppers, Tuesday, December 10th, Johnny Bulletproof, a consultant and installer of bullet resistant products, puts ArmorCore® to the ultimate test on national television.

    “Years ago we used the motto, “We Stand Behind our Product” referring to our ArmorCore® product line. Never did we imagine that someone would take this literally for live fire ballistic testing,” said Sales Manager, David Breeland. Justin Clark in Market Development added, “Johnny presents the most extreme demonstration to prove a point and I imagine it will make for some interesting TV.”

    ArmorCore® is used in wall systems to provide bullet-resistant protection. The product is primarily used in government buildings, banks, and military applications, but the company has seen a heightened interest in private safe rooms. “Interest in our product in homes and businesses has amplified for the ballistic protection as well as a safe barrier in violent storms and forced-entry protection. Unlike a pre-fabricated box it can be installed within any room and covered with drywall,” said Clark.

    “Though we know the capabilities of what we manufacture, we are still anxious to see its performance on the small screen with such high stakes.”

    For more information about ArmorCore® ballistic-resistant panels please call (254) 752-3622. Video footage of the episode, No One Will Ever Know, can also be viewed on the National Geographic’s Doomsday Preppers website.

  7. Waco Composites Receives SHARP Recognition

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    Waco, Texas, June 15, 2013 – Waco Composites is proud to participate in and qualify for the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) implemented by OSHA under the U.S. Department of Labor. This certificate of recognition demonstrates the emphasis placed on a clean, healthy, and safe worksite environment. SHARP is one of the highest awards that OSHA can designate to small companies.

    Quality product begins with a quality manufacturing facility. “We are pleased that this award expresses our attentiveness to safety and detail. The hard work of in-depth employee training and factory layout and practices will continue to pay off for us,” announces company president, Wayne Hampton. “We are continually improving our product and practices. Waco Composites’ success in this area can be attributed to its workers, supervisors and safety officer, Laura Simon.”

    Waco Composites

    Waco Composites manufactures and offices out of its 40,000 sq.ft. building in Waco, TX. The company’s primary focus is its line of ArmorCore, bullet resistant panels. These are UL Listed fiberglass sheets used for architectural armoring and ballistic protection. ArmorCore is shipped worldwide out of the Waco facility to be installed in home safe rooms, courthouses, police stations, banks, shooting range, and military vehicles.

  8. Defense Against School Violence

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    Defensive Architecture One Answer To School Violence

    The past couple of months have brought about stories of unbelievable horror, as children have been subjected to gun violence in what should be a safe haven: their schools.

    The news media reports a wide range of often one-sided solutions, while most of us realize that any actual solutions will need to engage multiple facets, including mental health, our society’s culture of violence and providing adequate security within educational facilities.

    For many, the thought of turning school buildings into fortresses is a concept far removed from our own experiences of worrying more about “lost” homework than physical security. But recent circumstances can not be ignored, and thoughtful “hardening” of educational buildings can offer one aspect of additional security for both students and educators.

    ArmorCore® bullet resistant fiberglass panels has been proven effective against a wide range of threats, from bullets and blast fragments to storm debris and physical attack with hand-held implements. In the battlefields of the Middle East to bank counters and health care facilities in the U.S., strategically placed ArmorCore® ballistic resistant materials have saved lives.

    These same materials can be used within doors, walls (such as within a closet, to create a “safe room”), counters and desks to offer protection from the previously unthinkable acts of an armed attacker, providing time for law enforcement to intervene.

    Is this the only answer: Of course not. As a society, we have many decisions and solutions to explore. But as a parent of a school-aged child, I would feel just a little better knowing that some practical and affordable measures of protection have been integrated into the classrooms and building.

    ArmorCore® was conceived and is manufactured as a protective measure against violence. And as a feasible and accessible aspect of potentially saving lives against an armed intruder, it’s one start to the larger questions we all face.

  9. Prepping For Preppers

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    Justin Clark In Market Development Reflects On Prepper Community’s Interest In ArmorCore And Announcement Of Installation Video.

    About a year ago my brand new car stereo was stolen out of my truck in front of my house one evening. I remember a lack of empathy from friends as they laced me with the blame. This particular night, like many others, I left my truck out in front of our gate with the doors unlocked. Though I contend it is the same crime whether the truck was locked or not, the lesson I learned is that you can’t will a utopian society into existence. Preppers know this and vary greatly in the level of preparation and types of conditions they are preparing for.

    Preppers have recently received a lot of exposure through television, radio, and social media. These outlets, tasked with maintaining audience attention, seek out the most interesting and extreme cases of prepping. The disservice is that preppers can sometimes be portrayed as impractical and excessive. On the other hand it has brought awareness to the public of ways to be mindful and planning for potentially threatening situations. Truthfully, we all share in different degrees of preparing and the “craziness” of prepping is just a subjective point where our personal degree ends.

    Insurance is a good example of a widely excepted form of preparing for unexpected events which are natural or caused by man. Obviously we cannot prepare enough to prevent every threat that is possible, but even close to home we have seen ways that a little bit of preparedness could have gone a long way. Here in Waco we received many visitors evacuating Houston before the landfall of hurricane Rita. Normally a 3 ½ hour drive, it took some friends and relatives as much as 20 hours. It became impossible to purchase fuel, food, and water on the road. Just north of us, the community of Moore, OK suffered once again as there were a limited amount of shelters to flee the powerful tornados. Even in my own neighborhood within the last two years we had a tornado tear up next door neighbors’ houses and knock out electricity for a couple days and in another case police cordoned off our road in a manhunt for an escaped criminal.

    There are many practical steps we can take to put ourselves at an advantage when faced with an emergency or disaster. Even the tenants of prepping as defined by the American Preppers Network are pretty identifiable ideals for most of us. These principals focus on independence, self-reliance, and frugality. Taking some of these proactive steps allows to better take care of ourselves, family, and neighbors when resources and help are not readily available from other sources. Those who know our Waco Composites’ family well, known that we have seen a lot more activity in the last year and a half in servicing individuals, community groups, and businesses looking to upgrade protection using our ArmorCore panels.

    Our ArmorCore panels provide a solution for protection, not the solution. There are many options that people are looking at for providing physical security in their homes, schools, and businesses and there are pros and cons to each solution. If cost, access, and zoning are not issues and you are looking for protection in a tornado, then an underground shelter is probably the best option. Where ArmorCore fits in for those wanting to be prepared, is that it is a product that can be easily incorporated into new construction or retrofits to provide immediate bullet resistant and forced entry protection as well as defeating flying debris in extreme storms. It is cheaper and easier to work with than any other product designed for ballistic resistance and can be fitted to any size room.

    Waco Composites has exciting news regarding those individuals and groups who are being mindful of emergency preparedness. In January of 2014 we will be releasing an Installation Instructions Video. This video will feature the construction of a home safe room using ArmorCore Level 3 panels and showing the ease of construction. Waco Composites also strives to sponsor local meet-up groups and help educate and support preppers interested in physical security and bullet resistance. In addition, unlike our controlled manufacturing and testing of materials in our Waco facility, you can witness the eccentric methods of experimenting and testing the product featured on a new episode of Doomsday Preppers, No One Will Ever Know airing December 10th.

    To view video and learn more about the episode, go to NationalGeographic.com

  10. ArmorCore® Used For Securing Nation’s Grid

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    Waco Composites To Supply ArmorCore® Anti-Ballistic Panels For Securing Nation’s Electric Grid After Terrorist Attack On Vulnerable Substation

    Waco, TX – Local manufacturer Waco Composites announced today that they will be a supplier of anti-ballistic panels that will be utilized to secure electric substations from potential terroristic attacks. Following the April 16, 2013 AK-47 ballistics attack on the Metcalf transmission substation south of San Jose, California, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a directive to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) to develop physical security standards that will require power grid system owners and operators to ensure the physical security of the nation’s grid. The deadline for these security standards is June 5, 2014.

    Waco Composites, manufacturer of ArmorCore™ Bullet Resistant Fiberglass Panels, is in the unique position of having supplied numerous civil and military projects worldwide over the past 18 years. The company has participated in the hardening (up-armoring) of thousands of military vehicles, buildings, ships, helicopters, nuclear guardhouses, data centers, safe houses, and critical infrastructure for U.S. interests around the world.

    Waco Composites is currently assisting utility companies, contractors, and consultants in the electrical transmission and distribution sector to provide reasonable and affordable anti-ballistic materials and viable solutions to this most urgent infrastructure need.

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