HUNTSVILLE, Ala., Dec. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lakeland Industries, Inc. (“Lakeland Fire + Safety” or “Lakeland”) (NASDAQ: LAKE) , a leading global manufacturer of protective clothing for industry, healthcare, and first responders, today announced that the Hong Kong operation of its LHD Group (“LHD Hong Kong”) assisted the Hong Kong Fire Services Department (“HKFSD”) in remaining operational and protected during their courageous efforts battling the devastating fire at Wang Fuk Court, Taipo, Hong Kong, on November 26, 2025. In response to the high-rise fire, HKFSD mounted a prolonged operation, initially deploying more than 700 firefighters. LHD Hong Kong, the contracted provider of professional laundry, repair, and comprehensive lifecycle care for HKFSD’s 14,000 sets of firefighter personal protective equipment (“PPE”), immediately activated its full contingency response to ensure firefighters had safe, fully functional gear throughout the incident.

The scale and duration of the firefighting operation created exceptional demand for rapid cleaning, decontamination, and servicing of turnout gear. Leveraging its specialized infrastructure, established surge protocols, and dedicated logistics, LHD Hong Kong increased processing capacity to ensure firefighters could return to duty with fully operational PPE.

“From the first hours of this incident, our priority was the safety and operational readiness of every firefighter,” said Peter Chan, Managing Director of LHD Hong Kong. “We activated our predetermined contingency plan and surged resources across our operations. Our responsibility goes beyond cleaning garments – it is to return PPE that is fully functional, safe, and ready for duty. In moments like this, dependable PPE care becomes a critical part of the emergency response system.”

Operational Surge Executed on Multiple Fronts

  • Workforce Mobilization: Added temporary staff to reinforce skilled teams across all shifts.
  • Process Optimization: Restructured workflows to maximize throughput across our industrial-grade dry rooms, washing machines, and inspection stations.
  • Logistics Reinforcement: Expanded collection and delivery runs across Hong Kong’s 120+ fire stations and HKFSD units, including emergency on-site support when requested.
  • Service pledge maintained: Continued to meet core turnaround targets – returning laundered suits within 4 working days and repaired suits within 12 days – despite the volume surge.


Sustained Output During Peak Demand

From November 27 through December 2, LHD Hong Kong collected 1,171 sets of garments and returned 978 sets, reflecting a sustained increase in daily processing and effective scaling of output to match intake. Teams continue to operate at surge levels to ensure all PPE is restored to the highest standards of cleanliness, safety, and functionality.

A Global Model for PPE Lifecycle Management

This incident highlights the importance of professional, contracted PPE care for modern fire services. LHD Hong Kong’s response exemplifies the "LHD Care" philosophy: a holistic end-to-end approach that combines advanced facilities, rigorous quality control, and dependable logistics to extend the lifecycle of critical safety gear, preserve compliance, and protect those who protect the public.

Jim Jenkins, President, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman of Lakeland, added, “Lakeland and LHD Hong Kong stand with HKFSD and the people of Hong Kong. We extend our deepest condolences to the families of all victims, including the fallen firefighter, and express our profound respect to all emergency personnel involved.”

About Lakeland Fire + Safety

Lakeland Fire + Safety manufactures and sells a comprehensive line of fire services and industrial protective clothing and accessories for the industrial and first responder markets. Our products are sold globally by our in-house sales teams, our customer service group, and authorized independent sales representatives to a strategic global network of selective fire and industrial distributors and wholesale partners. Our authorized distributors supply end users across various industries, including integrated oil, chemical/petrochemical, automobile, transportation, steel, glass, construction, smelting, cleanroom, janitorial, pharmaceutical, and high-tech electronics manufacturers, as well as scientific, medical laboratories, and the utilities industry. In addition, we supply federal, state and local governmental agencies and departments, including fire and law enforcement, airport crash rescue units, the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security and the Centers for Disease Control. Internationally, we sell to a mix of end-users directly and to industrial distributors, depending on the particular country and market. In addition to the United States, sales are made into more than 50 foreign countries, the majority of which were into China, the European Economic Community ("EEC"), Canada, Chile, Argentina, Commonwealth of Independent States (“CIS”) Region, Colombia, Mexico, Ecuador, India, Uruguay, Middle East, Southeast Asia, Australia, Hong Kong and New Zealand.

For more information about Lakeland, please visit the Company's website at www.lakeland.com .

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as that phrase is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, which address Lakeland's expectations of sources or uses for capital or which express the Company's expectation for the future with respect to financial performance or operating strategies, including statements regarding the anticipated synergies and opportunities relating to the acquisitions and the Company’s North American growth strategy, can be identified as forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions as described from time to time in Press Releases and Forms 8-K, registration statements, quarterly and annual reports and other reports and filings filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission or made by management. As a result, there can be no assurance that Lakeland's future results will not be materially different from those described herein as "believed," "projected," "planned," "intended," "anticipated," "can," "estimated" or "expected," or other words which reflect the current view of the Company with respect to future events. We caution readers that these forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. The Company hereby expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in the Company's expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which such statement is based, except as may be required by law.

Contacts
Lakeland Fire + Safety
256-600-1390
Roger Shannon
Chief Financial Officer
[email protected]

Investor Relations
Chris Tyson
Executive Vice President
MZ Group - MZ North America
949-491-8235
[email protected]
www.mzgroup.us