LION Group, Inc.'s V-Force turnout gear was recently named the 'Coolest Thing Made in Kentucky' in tournament-style contest

It turns out that the coolest thing made in Kentucky is used in some very hot situations. LION Group, Inc.’s V-Force® turnout gear, which protects firefighters in the U.S. and across the globe and is manufactured in the Kentucky com­munities of West Liberty, Beattyville, and Hazel Green, has won the Kentucky Association of Manufacturers’ (KAM's) 2025 Coolest Thing Made in Kentucky Tour­nament presented by Kentucky Farm Bureau Insur­ance in a two-month long contest that garnered more than 320,000 votes.

LION V-Force turnout gear defeated Texas Roadhouse Mini Rolls, made by T. Marzetti Company in Horse Cave, Kentucky, by a 57%-43% margin in the tournament fi­nals.

“Since 1959, Kentuckians have been sewing and dis­tributing LION’s high-performance uniforms and pro­tective garments to first responders around the world. But our history is not just about nearly 70 years of sewing products in Kentucky; it's about the dedication, passion, creativity, and hard work of our more than 600 Ken­tucky-based manufacturing team members,” said Steve Schwartz, CEO and fourth-generation family owner of LION Group. “They hand-sew each set of V-Force turn­out gear we ship to firefighters that protects them in extreme conditions so they can protect their commu­nities. Knowing that what they create is cherished and celebrated as the 2025 Coolest Thing Made in Kentucky fills all of our hearts with immense pride.”

Now in its third year, the annual online voting, brack­et-style tournament gives Kentuckians the opportunity to pick their favorite from among the thousands of world-class products manufactured in the commonwealth.

A FIRSTHAND PERSPECTIVE

Alan Perkins has been an employee at LION Group, Inc. since 1985, making him one of the longest tenured employees at the West Liberty facility. But perhaps more important is the fact that Perkins, during many of these years, has also been a county first responder.

“I was born and raised in Morgan County, and I start­ed working at our local ambulance service in 1994,” he said. “I’ve also been a member of the county’s rescue squad.”

Perkins has worn LION’s gear during rescue mo­ments and knows firsthand how important it is to keep frontline workers safe.

“I’ve worn this gear and been protected by it,” he said. “And by working here and seeing all the places our gear goes to, I know it’s protecting those firefight­ers, too.”

Perkins added that everyone working for LION un­derstands that the gear they are making will help save the lives of first responders.

Diane Best is the site leader at LION’s Beattyville fa­cility. She has been with the company for more than 40 years.

“The company is family owned and has been in busi­ness for 127 years, with its headquarters in Dayton, Ohio,” she said. “There are three facilities in eastern Kentucky, and each of the plants have different jobs all connected in getting the finished garments ready to ship to firefighters and first responders around the world.”

Best added that V-Force was created to give maxi­mum comfort and mobility to firefighters who wear it.

“The comfort and mobility features that are built into the gear actually allows firefighters the ability to work comfortably,” she said. “When it was created, it was built to move like the human body moves.”

The Jessamine County Fire Department uses LION V-Force gear. Jason Walton is Fire District Assistant Chief. He said it is great to have such important fire­fighting gear made right here in the state.

“The departments of Kentucky are lucky to have a manufacturer like LION that knows the industry so well and has designed and tailored a set of personal protective equipment that matches what our needs are,” he said. “These are built to the highest standard and are above the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommendations. They build something that is far superior to just the minimum standard.”

When asked if he thinks his fellow firefighters are safer using the LION Group Inc.’s V-Force turnout gear, his reply was, “Most definitely.”