Dedicated to saving lives, Holmatro USA is leading the way in rescue, law enforcement, and military equipment through precision manufacturing
While there have always been emergency response situations, the number is drastically rising given the increase in natural disasters, aging infrastructure, social unrest, and urbanization, among other causes. With equipment technology moving at an equally impressive rate, it’s reassuring that manufacturers like Holmatro are providing tools that will perform when lives are on the line.
Holmatro is dedicated to providing hydraulic equipment across the globe for rescue, law enforcement and tactical, and military applications. Founded in the
Netherlands in 1967, Holmatro Group is a privately owned global supplier serving markets across the globe. However, Holmatro, Inc., the US division, was established in 1984 to serve the North American market. Although it started off in a small office in Maryland, Holmatro began manufacturing in 1988 to enable domestic production. Following rapid expansion, the division moved to its current premises in Glen Burnie, Maryland, in 1997 to continue its ‘Made in the USA’ strategy with expanded capacity in an 80,000-square-foot manufacturing facility that boasts a state-of-the-art machine shop, assembly line, warehouse, and training space.
“Holmatro has a rich history and has been present in the US for 41 years. Though, I am still surprised when I am out in the field visiting customers or at industry events how many people do not realize we manufacture here in Maryland,” opens Shelly Elliott, President of Holmatro, USA. “Our main product line is the PENTHEON Series of battery-powered rescue tools, which was launched in 2020, using our expertise in rescue equipment to add performance benefits to the range’s design. We primarily serve the fire and rescue, law enforcement, and military markets, and also have partnerships in other sectors like urban search and rescue and motorsports.
“In motorsports, with cars traveling anywhere between 150-to-230 miles per hour, it’s crucial that safety teams have the necessary tools that are effective against the high strength materials used to build racing cars. These partnerships are important because these teams are working in extreme conditions that can include advanced materials, high speeds, tight spaces, underwater, and complex rescue situations. If we develop products that perform in those types of environments, they can handle anything. We work with some of the world’s best motorsports safety teams like FIA, IndyCar, IMSA, and some of the most famous tracks in the world. A former IndyCar driver, James Hinchcliffe, recently visited us to tell us his story about an accident where our tools were used to save his life. He emphasized that an additional 90 seconds would have been the difference between life and death.”
Elaborating on Holmatro’s products, Shelly continues: “We provide a full suite of extrication tools, including cutters, spreaders, rams, and combi tools, which enable first responders to rapidly react in emergency situations. We appreciate that customers rely on our products for life, so we not only sell products, but we also offer the parts and services required to maintain them.
“Another recent innovation on the rescue side is Holmatro’s OmniShore platform used for stabilization, heavy lifting and rigging, structural collapse, and trench rescue. Our OmniShore platform is the world’s first and only shoring solution that allows end-users to build any application, with a system of only six different struts. Because every strut can extend and be put to use, it saves precious space and weight on a vehicle. We also invented patented systems including our trident coupler to ensure every connection is inherently safe, and our OmniLock system allows remote monitoring and operation, keeping the first responder out of the line of fire. From cars involved in accidents to houses caught up in natural disasters, OmniShore meets all requirements and is the first strut system to be NFPA 1960 (National Fire Protection Association) compliant.”
Having been awarded two iF Design Awards in 2024 for OmniShore and T1 Forcible Entry Tool, we’re keen to hear how Holmatro stays ahead of the curve in terms of innovation and new product development. “We’re constantly pushing the boundaries to create products that disrupt the market and enhance both safety and effectiveness for first responders,” Shelly says. “Our R&D team spends time with end users, observing first responders to better understand the scenarios they are up against, how they use equipment, and identify areas where we can utilize the power of hydraulics and pneumatics to meet emerging needs. We want to design a tool that makes the customer think, ‘Wow! They really thought of everything.’ We focus on inherent safety, ergonomics, performance, reliability, serviceability, data and analytics, versatility, and intuitiveness.
“On the law enforcement side of the business, we designed the Door Blaster HDB 90 ST to solve evolving needs. In many states, law enforcement personnel are required to knock on someone’s door before entering, and with one person having to stand close to the door, this has become known as the ‘fatal funnel’ in the industry. The Door Blaster HDB 90 ST is powered by hydraulics rather than manual force and can be remotely operated to remove a person from the fatal funnel.”
“Our growth trajectory is not slowing down, and we’re focused on adding new resources and capabilities from a people, products, process and systems perspective,” Shelly confirms. “We have some fantastic people here and we’re fortunate to have impressive employee tenure. In fact, we’ve recently received a Baltimore Business Journal Best Place to Work award, which is testament to our people and culture. We’re also proud that our capabilities and equipment like mills, lathes, and multi-axis CNC machines, enable us to manufacture in the US. We’ll continue to invest in our domestic supply chain and capabilities to ensure we consistently deliver the best performing equipment in the world.”
Shelly concludes: “As we continue to grow, we want to build on our solid brand name in the fire and rescue space while also creating awareness of our ability to serve law enforcement and tactical customers. Most importantly, we’ll continue to serve all customers with innovative products that save lives and positively disrupt the market.”