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A Bonner Springs-based business is in the process of finishing up its first foray into the world of military contracts.

Trimac Industrial Systems, 12601 Kaw Drive, recently was awarded a $1 million contract for the military’s Rock Island Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center in Illinois.

The contract was to install one of Trimac’s infrared curing systems, used to dry protective coatings that are put on military vehicles to protect them from chemical attacks.

Trimac, which moved to Bonner Springs a year and a half ago as the company outgrew its former Kansas City, Kan., location, manufactures three products: an industrial parts washer, an oven for coating metals with protective powders or liquids and an infrared finishing system.

Robert Heinzinger, president of Trimac, said his company found out about Rock Island through a Web site the government uses to advertise its upcoming projects. Services are divided by products so companies can search for projects that would best fit their niche.

As a subscriber of the Web site, Heinzinger said he received the specifications and worked on a proposal to present to the military. Heinzinger said Trimac had to qualify based on past work. Trimac had to submit past projects that were similar to the contract project and prove they could handle complex contracts.

Heinzinger said his company had no problem with this step considering it deals with large, Fortune 500 companies on a regular basis.

“We’re used to a lot of paperwork,” he said.

After a few meetings, Trimac was awarded the contract in July 2009, but Heinzinger wasn’t 100 percent confident it was the best choice for this project.

In the original contract, the military wanted to use an electric version of Trimac’s systems, but Heinzinger thought this system would use too much energy. Instead, Heinzinger suggested switching the system to a flameless gas catalytic version, which is more energy-efficient.

“For this particular project, I thought gas would work better,” Heinzinger said.

The switch cost the military more in the beginning because a gas line had to be installed in the building, but Heinzinger said the military would see a return on its investment in less than two years.

“I think from now on, (the military) will look at new ways to save money,” he said.

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