At a landmark ceremony today, ZVS holding, a joint venture of the Slovak Republic and the CSG Group, launched a new filling line for artillery ammunition, known as the “screw-type filling line”, in Dubnica nad Váhom. It is the most advanced of its kind in Europe and will significantly contribute to achieving the goal of increasing CSG’s total production capacity of large-calibre ammunition to more than one million rounds per year. On this occasion, CSG, together with the Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic, also announced another major development concerning the expansion of Tatra vehicle production in Slovakia.
Already in December 2024, when concluding a contract for the procurement of Tatra vehicles in cooperation with the Czech Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic required that the production of Tatra vehicles for the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic (OS SR) be localized to the maximum possible extent in Slovakia. To this end, a new manufacturing plant was established in Moldava nad Bodvou. The soundness of this decision has now been confirmed by the recent success of Tatra Defence Slovakia, part of the CSG Group, which has secured a contract from a Southeast Asian country for the delivery of 4,000 Tatra vehicles. This contract will also be carried out at the Moldava nad Bodvou facility and will become a key driver of its further development and transformation into a new, significant Slovak automotive manufacturing plant.
“With great pleasure, we are announcing today two pieces of news that are fundamental for the Slovak defence industry and the entire economy. The first is that ZVS holding, jointly owned by the Slovak state and the CSG Group, is launching a new large-calibre ammunition production line – the most advanced in Europe – which will significantly increase the company’s production capacity. The second is the acquisition of a record contract for 4,000 Tatra vehicles by Tatra Defence Slovakia. They will be manufactured in Moldava nad Bodvou, where this project will create more than 300 jobs. In doing so, we are fulfilling our commitment to develop the Slovak defence industry while supporting employment in regions where it is most needed,” said the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the Slovak Republic, Robert Kaliňák.
“The opening of the new filling line is a major milestone in the long-term development of ZVS holding. It is an important step toward our goal for the annual production capacity within the CSG Group and its munitions division, MSM Group, which includes ZVS, to exceed one million pieces of large-calibre ammunition. Together with the transfer of Tatra vehicle production to Slovakia, it further confirms CSG’s strategy of strengthening the capacities of the Slovak defence industry while developing joint Czech-Slovak industrial projects with high added value,” said Jan Marinov, CEO of the CSG Defence division.
Jakub Krchňavý, CEO of ZVS holding, added: “The screw-type filling line, the most advanced of its kind in Europe, is a technological leap that will allow us to significantly increase ammunition production capacity and realise the full potential of the Slovak Republic in supplying ammunition to allies as part of the recently announced Slovak Ammunition Initiative. Ammunition production in Dubnica and Tatra vehicle production in Moldava nad Bodvou are part of a single story of growth, modernisation, and technological investment.”
The new filling line (commissioned today in Hall 507 of the ZVS holding plant) will significantly strengthen the company’s capacity to produce 155 mm artillery ammunition. Manufacturing the line took 1.5 years from order to completion. The screw-type system is a highly automated solution featuring controlled heating of the ammunition body and precise explosive dosing. It enables filling ammunition from calibre 81 mm up to 155 mm. The modernised facility is equipped with safety features including an 80-centimetre protective wall. Operating conditions allow for a two-shift regime, seven days a week. The total investments at the ZVS Holding plant in Dubnica nad Váhom, including the production line and its supporting infrastructure, amount to nearly EUR 100 million.
ZVS holding is thus further expanding its capabilities in response to rising demand for artillery ammunition in Europe and the recently signed framework agreement with the Slovak Ministry of Defence worth up to EUR 58 billion, which forms part of the Slovak Ammunition Initiative. The new filling line is one of the pillars in fulfilling the Slovak Republic’s long-term commitments to partners in the European Union and NATO.
Expansion of Tatra Vehicle Production to Slovakia
Today’s event also included a joint announcement by CSG and the Slovak Ministry of Defence on expanding Tatra vehicle production to the plant in Moldava nad Bodvou, where more than 300 new jobs will be created in the coming years. The decision follows the recently concluded record contract for the delivery of 4,000 T-810 M military vehicles, valued at more than USD 1 billion over four years, awarded to Tatra Defence Slovakia by a customer in the Southeast Asian region. Production will be carried out by MSM Land Systems, which operates the manufacturing site in Moldava nad Bodvou. Both companies are part of the CSG Group.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Robert Kaliňák stated: “Slovakia has historically been an important producer of Tatra vehicles – the brand itself is, after all, also Slovak, as the first vehicles with Tatra chassis were tested in our mountains. I am thrilled that large-scale Tatra production is returning to Slovakia and that this will bring several hundred new jobs to Moldava. I hope that this record contract for 4,000 vehicles will be followed by others in the future.”
Jan Marinov, CEO of the CSG Defence division, added: “The parent Tatra manufacturing plant in Kopřivnice, Czech Republic, cannot meet the strong global demand for Tatra vehicles, even with steadily increasing capacity. That is precisely why the record contract for 4,000 T-810 M vehicles over four years was concluded by Tatra Defence Slovakia. Transferring production to Slovakia is not a luxury, it is a necessity.”
Michal Baláž, CEO of MSM Land Systems, noted: “Our plant in Moldava must prepare quickly for a steep production ramp-up, alongside the other manufacturing programmes we are developing here. The company is also engaged in repairing both towed and self-propelled howitzers, as well as infantry fighting vehicles of both Western and Eastern origin. To deliver the record contract for 4,000 Tatras, we need more than 300 new employees – a major milestone in our continued growth.”
The Moldava nad Bodvou plant already performs limited assembly of superstructures on Tatra military chassis and provides service support. Recent investments have expanded its service and assembly facilities and upgraded its technological infrastructure. MSM Land Systems is also increasing its capacities for repairing artillery systems and tracked military equipment.
With these steps, CSG and the Slovak Ministry of Defence jointly affirm that Slovakia will not only be a European leader in modern artillery ammunition production, but also an important manufacturing centre for Tatra military vehicles. This further strengthens Czech-Slovak industrial cooperation and builds a comprehensive defence ecosystem linking ammunition production, ground vehicle manufacturing, and service capabilities.
The development of ZVS holding and MSM Land Systems demonstrates that the Slovak defence industry is entering a period of dynamic growth. Investments in modernisation, production expansion, and new capacities are delivering tangible results with national, European, and global significance.
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