KEENE — It's been a busy spring and summer for Whitney Brothers, which has been working to manufacture more than 3,000 cribs for the U.S. Army before the end of the year.

Whitney Brothers started as a maker of wooden toys for children then segued into making child development products in the 1970s. In its century-plus history, this is the first time the company has filled an order for the federal government.

“We're a defense contractor, and we make children's wooden products. It just doesn't seem congruous,” said Brian Vaillancourt, director of sales and marketing.

But it's been a great opportunity for the company and will hopefully lead to other contracts and orders from the government down the line, he said.

A federal mandate in 2011 to replace all cribs in both public and private child care centers that do not meet the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's new safety standards created the Army's need for the large order.

The five new federal requirements prohibit the traditional drop sides on cribs and call for improved slat strength and mattress support, durability, stronger hardware and tougher testing.

Vaillancourt said none of Whitney Brothers' cribs were ever recalled for safety issues, but the company quickly met the requirements with some new designs, including a crib side that folds over instead of dropping.

The commission gave the Army until Dec. 31 for full safety compliance, Vaillancourt said.

The company began shipping the cribs to Army bases around the world this summer and is working to complete the remaining domestic orders by October, Vaillancourt said. The cribs will be used in the military base's child development centers in the U.S. and across the globe.

The order placed in May for 3,620 new cribs prompted Whitney Brothers to hire an extra 13 workers, increasing its work force by 32 percent for a total of 43 skilled manufacturers.

The initial crib sale totals $866,000.

“This is the single biggest order in our company's illustrious 108-year-history and our first sale to the U.S. government, the world's largest customer,” Vaillancourt said.

In filling the order Whitney Brothers also signed a three-year-contract, with two, one-year renewable options, which means the Army could turn to the company for other products such as changing tables, Vaillancourt said. “They could order more, or we are their preferred vendor for other products.”

It also means the U.S. Navy or Air Force could also order from Whitney Brothers through the contract. Both military units also had to replace their child care center cribs this year.

“We actually had to turn the Navy away. It would have buried us,” Vaillancourt said. “It was kind of painful to have to turn away the Navy. It was the same with the Air Force.”

When it comes to wooden made children's products, there is not a lot of stateside competition, Vaillancourt said.

“We are one of only three U.S. based manufacturers of wood cribs. Everything else is imported,” he said.

Whitney Brothers has also built a reputation over the years for its children's wood furniture, storage, display and educational play products.

“Our brand all along has been associated with the highest quality attributes,” he said. “The quality and durability of American made and lifetime warranty.”

The N.H. Department of Resources and Economic Development also played a vital role in bringing Whitney Brothers and the federal government together, the company said. It a relationship Whitney Brothers hopes to continue.