VOP Nováky has reached the top of the TREND Industrial Company of the Year ranking, reaffirming the strong economic standing of Slovakia’s defence sector. The growth of the defence industry is reflected not only in rising revenues, but also in the fact that two defence companies – ZVS Holding and VOP Nováky were both nominated among the top five in this prestigious competition. In the end, VOP Nováky took home the victory in its category. Both companies belong to the same international group, MSM GROUP, which continues to play a key role in strengthening Slovakia’s industrial base.
Thanks to significant year-on-year growth in economic performance, VOP Nováky was nominated for the TREND Industrial Company of the Year 2025 award. Last year, the company achieved a record turnover of €260 million. VOP Nováky specializes in the production of artillery, rocket, mortar, and tank ammunition. “Last year we launched a new filling line for mortar ammunition, including 122 mm and 125 mm calibers, for which we are seeing increasing demand,” said Zuzana Helbichová, the company’s General Director. The new production line has an annual capacity of 100,000 artillery or mortar rounds, with more than half of total production exported abroad.
An important segment of the company’s portfolio is training ammunition, continuously produced at VOP Nováky for more than 40 years. This type of ammunition replicates live rounds, enabling armed forces to train safely and cost-effectively without the risk of injury or material damage. It also significantly reduces the costs of training and transportation to shooting ranges. Training ammunition from VOP Nováky also features in ceremonial events such as the New Year’s salvos fired from the Danube embankment in Bratislava, a tradition dating back to 1994 using 122 mm rounds. Beyond production, the company also focuses on inspection, modernization, and life-extension of ammunition, giving new value to existing stockpiles that would otherwise be destroyed. Environmentally responsible ammunition disposal is also part of VOP Nováky’s activities.
At ZVS holding in Dubnica nad Váhom, production centers on 155 mm artillery ammunition compatible with gun systems and howitzers around the world. The plant also manufactures fuzes for 155 mm shells and its own initiators for propellant charges. Last year, ZVS holding recorded nearly €120 million in revenue, a 50% year-on-year increase. Like VOP Nováky, ZVS holding is part of MSM GROUP, a member of the global industrial and technology group Czechoslovak Group (CSG).
Ve společnosti ZVS Holding v Dubnici nad Váhom je výroba zaměřena na dělostřeleckou munici ráže 155 mm, kompatibilní s dělovými systémy a houfnicemi po celém světě. Továrna rovněž vyrábí pojistky pro náboje ráže 155 mm a své vlastní iniciátory pro pohonné nálože. V loňském roce ZVS Holding dosáhl téměř 120 milionů EUR výnosu, což představuje meziroční nárůst o 50 %. Stejně jako VOP Nováky je ZVS Holding součástí MSM GROUP, která je členem globální průmyslové a technologické skupiny Czechoslovak Group (CSG).
Women at VOP Nováky: From the boardroom to the production line
Few would expect women to play a key role in a munitions plant, yet at VOP Nováky, they are indispensable. The production of pyrotechnic components requires precision and fine motor skills, and several stages of production are handled exclusively by women, such as the manufacturing of initiators. At the same time, it is a woman at the helm of the company – General Director Zuzana Helbichová, who proudly accepted the title of Slovakia’s TOP Industrial Company of 2025: “Our company is living proof that the defence industry, once considered a declining sector, can, through courage, investment, and innovation, become a driving force for regional and industrial growth. Behind our success are not just machines and numbers, but people from Nováky, Upper Nitra, and across Slovakia. Experts, technicians, engineers, and operators whose precision rivals the best companies in Europe.”
About the TREND Industrial Company of the Year 2025 Award
To be nominated, companies had to meet specific criteria, including annual revenue exceeding €100 million, assets worth more than €10 million, an EBITDA profit higher than €1 million, and a workforce of over 100 employees. The final rankings were determined based on year-on-year growth in both revenue and EBITDA, with additional input from readers and key figures of Slovakia’s business community.
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