Company ZVS holding has a new production line for the production of 155-millimetre artillery ammunition in the eastern Slovak town of Snina. The inauguration ceremony was attended on 4 October by the Chairman of the Board of ZVS holding Pavol Čahoj and the Minister of Defence of the Slovak Republic Robert Kaliňák. The new assembly line will enable ZVS holding to significantly increase the production of large caliber ammunition bodies in the coming years. The value of the investment in the production expansion reached EUR 31.5 million. In total, more than 80 million euros have been invested in the ZVS facility in Snina over the last period. On the same day, MSM GROUP marked the start of the renovation of the former Chemko site in Strážske, where it will produce bimodular charge systems for large caliber ammunition.
The new plant is equipped with modern technologies and advanced robotic lines. Furthermore, selected production areas have been automated, the production hall has been modernized and renovated, and the infrastructure, sanitary and staff areas have been significantly improved. Thanks to the modern production plant, ZVS holding will create dozens of new qualified jobs in the near future. The new plant in Snina is expected to increase the annual production of 155 mm caliber artillery ammunition to 360 000 pieces by 2026.
The decision to increase the production capacity of ZVS in Snina is related to the current high demand for large caliber ammunition.
“By opening a new production line we are responding to the continuously high demand for 155 mm artillery ammunition in particular and also to the overall difficult geopolitical situation. I am glad that we have successfully managed to successfully implement investments in production and technological facilities and thus strengthen our position on the large caliber ammunition market. At the same time, we contribute to the fulfilment of the strategic priorities of the EU and NATO in the field of defence,” said Pavol Čahoj, Chairman of the Board of Directors of ZVS holding.
In addition to increasing the production of shell bodies, the new production line will strengthen ZVS holding’s position as an important and stable employer in Snina and its region. Since 2020, the number of employees of ZVS holding in Snina has increased from 75 to 180 and the company plans to more than double the number of jobs in the future. The creation of new highly qualified jobs will not only contribute to the company’s performance, but will also economically strengthen the region in which the company operates and increase its attractiveness.
The opening of the new production line was also praised by the Minister of Defence of the Slovak Republic, Robert Kaliňák. “I am very pleased that the Slovak defence industry is developing dynamically. A strong national industry contributes not only to our security, but also to European security, and that is why we want to continue to work intensively in supporting this sector,” said the head of the Slovak defence ministry.
MSM GROUP together with Czechoslovak CSG Group has invested a total of EUR 50 million in the production capacities and facilities of the ZVS holding’s production operations from 2023. The financial resources were mainly directed to the purchase of new technologies, modernization of production facilities and infrastructure and improvement of conditions for employees. In addition to Slovakia, MSM GROUP and CSG also manufacture large caliber ammunition in Spain and Serbia.
Since 2015, ZVS holding has been 50% owned by the state-owned DMD Holding, the other 50% owner is MSM GROUP, which is a member of the industrial technology group CSG, specifically its Defence division. Ammunition companies belonging to MSM GROUP and CSG are among the European leaders not only in the production of large caliber ammunition, but also in the development, modernization, life extension and decommissioning of ammunition, thus being able to ensure the entire life cycle of the ammunition. At the same time, MSM GROUP ammunition enterprises, including ZVS holding, are among the most modern workplaces in their field in the region of Central Europe.
In addition to Snina, the Minister of Defence Robert Kaliňák and representatives of the MSM GROUP holding also visited the nearby town of Strážske. In their presence, the renovation of the former Chemko Strážske site was officially launched, where MSM GROUP plans to start the production of bimodular charge systems for large caliber ammunition in 2027. MSM GROUP plans to invest EUR 350 million in building the new production infrastructure in several stages. The investment in the production of bimodular charge systems in Strážske will also significantly increase the European production capacity of these ammunition components. At the same time, dozens of new jobs will be created in the region.
About ZVS holding
ZVS holding was established in 1990 as a state-owned enterprise. In 1996 the company was transformed into a joint stock company with 100% state participation and in 2015 the Slovak holding MSM GROUP became a 50% shareholder. The other 50% remained in the hands of the state. The production plants of ZVS holding are located in Dubnica nad Váhom and Snina. The main activities of ZVS holding include the production of artillery ammunition from the standard one to ammunition with extended range up to 40 kilometers, bodies for 155-millimeter caliber shells, mortar ammunition of 81mm to 120mm caliber and production of pyrotechnic components.
About Czechoslovak Group
The global industrial and technology group CSG, owned by Czech entrepreneur Michal Strnad, has key manufacturing facilities in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Spain, Italy, India, Great Britain and the USA and exports its products all over the world. CSG has been continuously investing in the development of its companies while expanding in its core businesses. The group includes, for example, the Czech car manufacturer Tatra Trucks, the world’s major manufacturer of small caliber ammunition Fiocchi and the Czech radar manufacturer Eldis. More than 10,000 employees work in the companies incorporated into the CSG Group and in the connected companies. In 2023, the group’s consolidated sales reached EUR 1.73 billion. CSG’s main industries are engineering, automotive, railway, aerospace, defence and small caliber ammunition production. Thanks to its strong pro-export orientation, CSG products can be found on all continents.