INKAS Group of Companies is a group of privately held

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

corporations that specialize largely in the security,

manufacturing Manufacturing is the creation or production of goods with the help of equipment, labor, machines, tools, and chemical or biological processing or formulation. It is the essence of the secondary sector of the economy. The term may refer ...

, and

financial Finance refers to monetary resources and to the study and Academic discipline, discipline of money, currency, assets and Liability (financial accounting), liabilities. As a subject of study, is a field of Business administration, Business Admin ...

industries. Many of the company’s divisions and brands operate under the registered

trademark A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a form of intellectual property that consists of a word, phrase, symbol, design, or a combination that identifies a Good (economics and accounting), product or Service (economics), service f ...

of INKAS, and include

armored vehicle Military vehicles are commonly armoured (or armored; see spelling differences) to withstand the impact of shrapnel, bullets, shells, rockets, and missiles, protecting the personnel inside from enemy fire. Such vehicles include armoured fighti ...

and

safe A safe (also called a strongbox or coffer) is a secure lockable enclosure used for securing valuable objects against theft or fire. A safe is usually a hollow cuboid or cylinder, with one face being removable or hinged to form a door. The body ...

manufacturing,

metal fabrication Metal fabrication is the creation of metal structures by cutting, bending and assembling processes. It is a value-added process involving the creation of machines, parts, and structures from various raw materials. Typically, a fabrication shop ...

aerospace Aerospace is a term used to collectively refer to the atmosphere and outer space. Aerospace activity is very diverse, with a multitude of commercial, industrial, and military applications. Aerospace engineering consists of aeronautics and astron ...

and

defense Defense or defence may refer to: Tactical, martial, and political acts or groups * Defense (military), forces primarily intended for warfare * Civil defense, the organizing of civilians to deal with emergencies or enemy attacks * Defense industr ...

, financial services, and

environmental protection Environmental protection, or environment protection, refers to the taking of measures to protecting the natural environment, prevent pollution and maintain ecological balance. Action may be taken by individuals, advocacy groups and governments. ...

services. The company was established over 25 years ago in

Toronto, Canada Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

, where it remains headquartered today. INKAS has worked with federal and provincial governments, and numerous authorities worldwide. Some of their clients include Haiti, Colombia, Nigeria, Azerbaijan,

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

, and the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. INKAS also provides a number of products and services to financial institutions, corporations and individuals around the world. Inkas Sentry Lithuanian Gendarmerie

INKAS Group of Companies

INKAS was founded in August 1995 in Toronto, Canada, by David Khazanski and Margarita Simkin as a single-truck armored courier service specializing in the secure transportation of cash and valuables. INKAS has established and grown various divisions and brands over the years, some of which have gone on be acquired by large players in their industries. The company’s divisions include armored vehicle manufacturing, safes manufacturing, security solutions and services, aerospace and defense, financial solutions, and environmental protection services. In April 2014, INKAS acquired its new headquarters and manufacturing facility, and in March 2020, the company opened a second manufacturing facility in Toronto. The company also has offices, production facilities, and service centers internationally, including in Lagos, Nigeria.

Criticism

In July and August 2017,

CBC News CBC News is the division of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the news gathering and production of news programs on the corporation's English-language operations, namely CBC Television, CBC Radio, CBC News Network, and CBC ...

reported that INKAS signed a deal with Azerbaijan’s interior ministry under which the company had delivered several Canadian-made armoured personnel carriers (APCs) to Azerbaijan. This provoked strong condemnation from the Armenian-Canadian population which was concerned that the equipment would be used in the

Nagorno-Karabakh conflict The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is an ethnic and territorial conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, inhabited mostly by ethnic Armenians until 2023, and seven surrounding districts, inhabited mostly by Azerbai ...

or the Armenia-Azerbaijan border crisis. The Canadian government responded by promising to meet with the representatives of the Armenian community. Ramil Huseynli — Azerbaijan's Chargé d’Affaires in Ottawa — responded by saying "...the acquisition of armoured personnel carriers from a Canadian company does not pose such a threat o regional peace and stability as these vehicles are intended only for law enforcement and civilian transport. In this light, the hysteria of the Armenian community, who should put Canadian interests above the rest, is unintelligible.” According to the 2016 Report on Exports of Military Goods from Canada, Azerbaijan bought $378,705 worth of fire arms and ground vehicles in Canada. In October 2023, 100 activists blocked the entrances of INKAS' Toronto offices, with five being arrested. The protestors criticized the company for helping arm the Israeli military. INKAS reports that the company “supplied the government of Israel with more command & control units than any other supplier in history”, and has also sold cyber warfare services and remotely controlled weapon stations. INKAS responded to the protest by stating that the situation caused the business to lose profits and was costly to their reputation.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Inkas Companies based in Toronto Defence companies of Canada Military vehicle manufacturers Motor vehicle manufacturers of Canada