News & Blog

15th May 2026, Cadillac, Michigan: Avon Protection is proud to receive the 2026 CWMD Innovation Prototype Award for its Hood/Mask Interface (HMI) prototype developed as part of its work on the U.S. Department of War’s Advanced System for Protection and Integrated Reduction of Encumbrances (ASPIRE) program. 

Avon Protection’s prototype was developed to improve the interface between CBRN respirator masks and hood garments. The HMI interface is widely regarded as one of the most critical vulnerability points in protective systems, particularly where the hood and mask have been developed by different manufacturers.  

Avon Protection’s design addresses the interface challenge by introducing a ‘second skin’ that creates a secure seal over the mask, improving protection at vulnerable points. The prototype concept provides full integrated head and neck coverage, enhancing safety in CBRN environments, while the layering of protective elements reduces reliance on perfect hood-mask seal, ensuring secondary barriers against contaminants. 

Avon Protection’s Carl Makins, US DOW R&D Project Manager, was in attendance to receive the award at the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) Consortium and Medical CBRN Defense Consortium (MCDC) Annual Membership Meeting in National Harbor, MD, on May 13, 2026.  

Makins said: “This Avon Protection solution represents a major step forward in protective equipment design by combining engineered materials, collaborative development, and layered defense principles to enhance protection in hazardous environments. 

“We are extremely proud to receive this award, which recognizes our substantial efforts to deliver a commercial solution that has undergone successful prototyping and offers scalability in line with requirements in the U.S. Department of War’s Capabilities Catalogue.” 

The CWMD Consortium and MCDC brings together innovators, industry leaders, government partners, and academic collaborators to accelerate solutions to strengthen national defence and global health security. Avon Protection has been a CWMD Consortium member since 2020.