Latest news with #ChrisStone
Business Wire
29-04-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Albany Engineered Composites Awarded Seven-Year Contract from Bell Textron, Inc. for 525 Composite Components
ROCHESTER, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Albany International Corp. (NYSE: AIN) announced today that its subsidiary Albany Engineered Composites, Inc. (AEC) has been awarded a seven-year contract from Bell Textron, Inc. (Bell) to produce composite structures components for the Bell 525 helicopter. This award establishes a new partnership with Bell, a key customer in AEC's growing rotorcraft business. 'We are very excited to solidify our long-term support of the 525 for Bell with this contract award,' said Chris Stone, AEC President. 'This agreement is representative of our new, yet strategic, collaboration with Bell, and we look forward to exploring additional opportunities to provide Bell with mission-critical composite components for its suite of aircraft.' About Albany Engineered Composites, Inc. Albany Engineered Composites (AEC) designs and manufactures advanced engineered composite components for engine and airframe applications for commercial and military aircraft, missiles and unmanned vehicles. AEC's specialty composite solutions enable current and next-generation aircraft to perform better while being more fuel-efficient, cost‑effective, and environmentally-friendly. About Albany International Corp. Albany International is a leading developer and manufacturer of engineered components, using advanced materials processing and automation capabilities, with two core businesses. Machine Clothing is the world's leading producer of custom-designed, consumable belts essential for the manufacture of paper, paperboard, tissue and towel, pulp, non-wovens and a variety of other industrial applications. Albany Engineered Composites is a growing designer and manufacturer of advanced materials‑based engineered components for demanding aerospace applications, supporting both commercial and military platforms. Albany International is headquartered in Rochester, New Hampshire, operates 30 facilities in 13 countries, employs approximately 5,400 people worldwide, and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (Symbol: AIN). Additional information about the Company and its products and services can be found at
Axios
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Philadelphia gun permit levels high but boom slows
Philadelphians flocked to firearms in 2024 as issued gun permits continued to outpace pre-pandemic levels. The big picture: The high interest comes as some experts report more groups with traditionally lower gun-ownership rates are embracing firearms. State of play: Philadelphia police issued 20,591 license-to-carry permits last year, per city data. That's a nearly 13% drop from 2023, marking a third consecutive year of permit declines. Yes, but: Before the pandemic, gun permits in Philly averaged about 8,400 annually, according to state police statistics from 2014-20. The latest: As of mid-March, license-to-carry permits had exceeded 4,600 this year. The intrigue: Philadelphia saw big declines in homicides and other violent crimes last year. So far, homicides are down 28% compared with the same time last year, per Philly police's online dashboard. Context: Philadelphia, unlike everywhere else in the state, requires a license for carrying both concealed and open firearms. Philly is blocked from passing its own gun control measures due to the state's preemption law, which gives that power to the state Legislature. Flashback: Carry permits skyrocketed in Philly in 2021, reaching a decade high of more than 52,200. Gun sales also surged. Stats for gun sales in Philly for 2024 were not yet available, per a state police spokesperson. Zoom out: Gun sales spiked nationwide starting in 2020 amid climbing homicide rates, protests over police brutality, and a rise in anti-Asian hate crimes. But that pandemic boom appears to be on the decline, with estimated gun sales dropping nearly 4% in 2024 compared with the previous year, per an analysis from The Trace. Meanwhile, growing concerns about racial and political violence have fueled gun purchases among demographic groups with lower gun-ownership rates, such as Democrats and Black, Asian and Hispanic Americans, per a study conducted in 2023. What they're saying: Chris Stone, director of state affairs for Gun Owners of America, tells Axios that groups traditionally not associated with firearms have been embracing gun ownership in recent years, including women and members of the LGBTQ community. Self-defense is a driving force behind the rise in gun ownership, he said. "More and more people are realizing that owning a firearm, being armed, being trained, being smart, being safe isn't a partisan issue," he said. Adam Garber of the gun-control group CeasefirePA tells Axios that fears over safety in Philly were likely propelling people toward guns.
