Blücher GmbH - Chemical and Biological (CB) Protective Clothing

Based in Germany, the Blücher Group is the world market leader in the development and production of compound fabrics for individual CB (chemical and biological) protection.

Activated carbon absorbers for CB protection

At the core of Blücher materials are spherical absorbers, a specialised form of activated carbon. These provide the maximum available surface area for absorption thanks to their their enormous inner-surface area consisting of macro, meso and micropores, which absorb and firmly binds molecules of chemical warfare agents and other contaminants. Blücher’s protection systems also offer a high degree of mechanical stability for durability in the most demanding applications. Blücher fabric is also very resistant to abrasion and is dust-free, making it particularly suitable for use in industrial-scale production processes.

Fabrics for protection against CB warfare agents

Blücher’s SARATOGA® technology is widely recognized as the most advanced CB warfare agent protective fabrics in the world, with a proven record of technological superiority.

Individual CB protective clothing made with SARATOGA materials has repeatedly been chosen by the most sophisticated and demanding military and civil customers in the world, after rigorous laboratory and operational testing. The advantages of SARATOGA technology include its unsurpassed adsorptive capacity, long wear time, high degree of air permeability for cooling, optimal balance of high protection and low heat stress, high level of mechanical stability, and low life cycle costs.

Military CB protection systems

Since 1997, SARATOGA has maintained the distinction of being the only technology qualified for use in individual CB protective suits worn by all US Armed Forces. The US military's joint service lightweight integrated suit technology (JSLIST) suit is a lightweight, two-piece overgarment based on the SARATOGA technology.

The Pentagon concluded that the JSLIST suit provides “unparalleled protection against chemical and biological agents.” All US troops deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom wore the JSLIST Suits twenty-four hours per day for up to 21 days throughout major combat operations and were therefore protected against surprise attacks with CB weapons.

The crews of high-performance aircraft of the US Air Force are protected by the SARATOGA® CB Protective Flight Coverall CWU-66/P and the fixed and rotary wing aviators of the US Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force by the SARATOGA®JPACE (Joint Protective Air Crew Ensemble).

CB protection for law enforcement personnel and first responders

The SARATOGA HAMMER Suit® is a CB protective garment specifically designed for first responders that was developed at the request of a major US law enforcement agency. Since its introduction in 1998, the HAMMER Suit has been widely accepted by law enforcement and emergency response organizations.

The German Army and Navy as well as the Civil Defence Organisation are equipped with a lightweight SARATOGA® overgarment. The flight crews of the German Air Force wear a SARATOGA® flight coverall. For the Future Infantryman – Basic System, Blücher has developed and supplied a combat uniform with integrated CB protection. The elite German police force GSG 9, the Disaster Relief Organization THW and other civil users also rely on individually designed SARATOGA® duty uniforms.