Company Name: Estes AWS
Company Headquarters: Indianapolis, IN
Signature Product: Rapid Access Weapon Locker
Website: https://estesaws.com/
Q&A Questions:
1. What is your signature product and how does it work?
Our signature product is our Rapid Access Weapon Locker. Versions are already available for sedans, SUVs, and pickup trucks. The Rapid Access Weapon Lockers open electronically, with no combinations to remember, and the drawer slides open automatically (patented feature), which helps protect law enforcement by allowing officers to retrieve their weapons quickly in a critical situation. Accessories including an Auxiliary Drawer and Fence Package are also available to work in conjunction with the SUV Rapid Access Weapon Locker and also the Estes AWS Storage Box.
New for 2019, Estes AWS is excited to announce its latest product, the SUV Rapid Access Weapon Locker 2.0. This newly designed product becomes available in January. The new weapon locker has the same security, durability, and opening technology as the original Rapid Access Weapon Lockers, but this innovative model has a few key differences:
- Lower price
- For SUVs only (original SUV Locker could transfer to a sedan)
- Powder-coated finish
- Solid front drawer face
Initial feedback from customers regarding this new locker has been very positive.
2. Why do you believe your products are essential to the police community?
Criminals are becoming more brazen. Long guns visible in gun racks between front seats of a vehicle are in plain view and are targets for theft. Storing weapons in a locker in the trunk greatly increases security. Those weapons, while more secure, still need to be rapidly accessed. The remote opening feature combined with the patented automatic opening feature ensure that officers can retrieve their weapons quickly in a critical situation.
3. What has been the biggest challenge your company has faced?
Our biggest challenge is prioritizing our design and innovation focus to meet the law enforcement officers’ desires. We often sell through upfitters or distributors, which means at times it is difficult for us to get the direct engagement with the end user of our products. Every department has different needs, types of vehicles, budgets and budget cycles. We ultimately want to improve the lives of officers with our products, so we welcome feedback from the law enforcement community.
4. What makes your company unique?
Our company is unique in that we have the innovative, patented opening technology and strong design and manufacturing resources from our parent company, Estes Design and Manufacturing. Since we’re housed in the same location as Estes Design and Manufacturing, we can provide our customers with custom solutions without having to work with an outside company for the product development and design requirements. Our Rapid Access Weapon Lockers are impressive products that receive outstanding customer reviews. By combining the products with our resources and talent we are providing best-in-class weapon lockers, which will help to better protect both law enforcement officers and communities.
5. What do your customers like best about you and your products?
We strive constantly to gain customer feedback. We’ve conducted a voice of the customer survey in the past, and our National Sales Manager is constantly meeting with customers to learn more about their needs. We’ve found that our customers like the quality and security of our products, but we believe what they value most is the fact that we’re constantly improving the products to better meet the law enforcement community’s needs. The new SUV Rapid Access Weapon Locker 2.0 is an example of a new innovated product that resulted from listening to our customers.
6. What is the most rewarding part of serving the first responder community?
As a sheet metal fabricator, Estes Design and Manufacturing has served many markets. However, it is very rewarding that Estes AWS is able to provide a unique, quality product to the law enforcement community because we are helping to protect the officers and the communities they serve.
7. Do you support any charitable organizations within public safety?
Estes AWS and Estes Design and Manufacturing believe in being good stewards of our community. Since the law enforcement market is relatively new for us, we don’t have a particular focus on public safety charitable organizations. However, we are supporters of non-profit organizations, and for over 25 years Estes Design and Manufacturing has had an established partnership with Good News Ministries in Indianapolis. Good News Ministries operates a homeless shelter that prides itself on offering more than just food and shelter to men in Indianapolis but a place that encourages individuals to make changes that lead their life down a path of better decision-making.
8. Is there any fun fact or trivia that you’d like to share with our users about you or your company?
Estes Design and Manufacturing has been around since 1976 and serves numerous markets. We manufacture a variety of products for companies, but we also have a division, Estes Designs Mailbox and Streetscapes, that creates and installs mailboxes. A fun fact is that some of these products are even sold on Amazon.com. We’re a very diverse company!
9. What’s next for your company? Any upcoming new projects or initiatives?
Our SUV Rapid Access Weapon Locker 2.0 is the exciting product launching this year. We have several other newer products available including a Cargo Organizer for the Ford Police Interceptor Utility, which sits on top of the spare tire.
