NEWS

New prospects for the Polish ammunition industry

In an era of growing tensions in Europe and escalating hostilities across the eastern border, the role of the domestic defense industry is becoming crucial, and Poland, as a frontline NATO member, should not rely solely on foreign supplies for its security.

The establishment of the plant in Niewiadów

The origins of the plant in Niewiadów date back to 1920, when the decision was made to build the Polish Chemical Works“Nitrat.” The project was the result of an initiative by Polish entrepreneurs, who established a joint-stock company and commissioned an Italian firm based in Milan to carry out the construction.

The factory was completed in 1923, and its production focused on the manufacture of TNT and a synthetic fertilizer—superphosphate—produced using acids generated during the synthesis of explosives. The favorable economic conditions of the 1920s, the public’s enthusiasm for building a new, free Poland, and the hope for lasting peace contributed to the plant’s rapid development and its significance in the chemical industry of the Second Polish Republic.

With the outbreak of World War II, all of the plant’s assets were seized by the German occupation authorities. The Germans dismantled the production equipment and removed it, paralyzing the plant’s industrial operations; however, as early as 1942,thecompany“J. Heissner”resumed operations on the factory premises, transforming it into a facility dedicated to the disposal of munitions originating from various European countries. TNT was extracted from the ammunition for reuse, which made Niewiadów a key hub in the German arms industry.

Postwar history

After the war, the factory was taken over by the communist authorities, who gradually changed the production line’s focus over the years. Thus, in the mid-1960s, the plant in Niewiadów began manufacturing motorized household appliances as well as camping and luggage trailers, while in the 1970s, the company operated under the name Household and Tourist Equipment Plant – PREDOM PRESPOL

It was not until the 1980s that the factory adopted the name Zakłady Sprzętu Precyzyjnego„NIEWIADÓW”S.A. The turn of the 1980s and 1990s brought significant changes—ministerial decisions to transfer military production to other facilities caused a significant decline in production value, resulting in the company’s bankruptcy in 2011. Despite this, the plant did not cease operations—thanks to effective management by the receiver, production continued in all existing areas.

Many new companies have also begun to emerge on the site of the former factory, and—as can be seen on the official website ZSP Niewiadów — they now employ even more people than before the bankruptcy was declared.

A new chapter in the company’s history began on August 1, 2019, when the Katowice-based company WORKS 11 Sp. z o.o. acquired, through a tender, the Organized Part of the Enterprise – Special Production, whose assets were formally contributed on December 30, 2020, to the newly established company Zakłady Sprzętu Precyzyjnego NIEWIADÓW Sp. z o.o., based in Ujazd.

The company continues the industrial traditions of Niewiadów, possessing all the necessary technical documentation, licenses, and certifications to manufacture specialized products for the Polish Armed Forces —including S5 unguided rockets, smoke grenades, cannon shot simulators, signal mines, shaped-charge warheads, thermobaric rounds, and training aerial bombs.

Poland's military needs

The current Minister of National Defense, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, has repeatedly expressed his support for the development of the domestic defense industry, including the production of large-caliber ammunition in Poland. In the context of military conflict, European authorities—and Polish authorities in particular, having learned from the war in Ukraine—recognize the importance and utility of artillery shells on the modern battlefield.

A statement by Dariusz Łukowski, head of the National Security Bureau, has gained widespread attention in recent months; he openly claimed that“Poland’s current ammunition reserves would last for about two weeks of warfare,”and according to March statistics published by TVN, Ukraine is using as many as 10,000 rounds of ammunition per day in its fighting against Russia.

The Republic’s needs are to be met through two independent initiatives: the first of these is the plant in Niewiadów, which is part of the Niewiadów Group, while the second is the PGZ-AMUNICJAconsortium—comprising five companies affiliated with the Polish Armaments Group—which, under a contract worth approximately 11 billion zlotys, has committed to delivering 300,000 rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition by 2029. It is worth noting that this number corresponds to approximately 50% of the annual production of such shells for the needs of European Union member states.

How is the plant in Niewiadów coming along? According to announcements made in April, production at the plant currently under construction is set to begin within the next year and will eventually reach an annual output of up to 180,000 rounds.

Under optimistic estimates, according to which the factory in Niewiadów would reach full operational capacity by 2026, and assuming that the PGZ consortium would have already delivered one-quarter of the missiles purchased by the Polish Armed Forces by that time, Poland would have an annual production capacity of 240,000 missiles between 2026 and 2029. This is undoubtedly a step in the right direction, but it should not be the last one. According to the estimates cited earlier, Russia—most often cited as Europe’s potential rival in a conflict—has production capabilities of up to four and a half million missiles per year.

On the other hand, Dariusz Szlafka, who currently serves as Director of the Precision Equipment Plant“Niewiadów”(who previously worked for PGZ, among others) recently pointed out the difficulties in obtaining subsidies and government contracts, which is why the plant decided to begin subcontracting the production of 60.7 mm mortar ammunition for companies in Slovakia. Production is set to begin as early as June.

The Polish Military Group and the Niewiadów Group

The merger of the Niewiadów Group with the Polish Military Group marks a milestone toward the consolidation of the domestic defense industry. The goal of this merger is not only to secure access to new sources of financing, but above all to create a strong, complementary manufacturing base for the Polish Armed Forces, supported by modern, flexible, and specialized facilities. With its experience in precision manufacturing and infrastructure ready to execute defense contracts, the Niewiadów Group is the ideal solution for Poland’s current defense needs.

The joint efforts of Niewiadów and the Polish Military Group offer hope for lower unit costs, faster production scaling, and easier access to foreign markets, including NATO countries and partners outside the European Union.