Costa Mesa-based Ceradyne Inc., a maker of ceramic bulletproof vests, has received what it called its largest order to date, a $2.37 billion contract with the Army.
The company is set to supply ceramic armor plates to the Army’s Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland, a weapons testing facility. The contract is for five years.
Ceradyne’s first delivery order under the contract is valued at $943,000 and is set to ship in November.
The plates are made in Irvine and Lexington, Ky.
After a strong 2007, shares of Ceradyne are off about 30% this year with a recent market value of about $900 million.
The company is coming off peak demand for its body armor in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
News of the latest Army contract sent Ceradyne’s shares up about 3% at the opening of New York trading Monday.
