Poland among Europe’s leading ammunition producers: CEO
Poland has become a leading supplier of military ammunition in Europe, the CEO of the country’s biggest arms maker has said.
Photo:PAP/DPA/Silas Stein
Sebastian Chwałek, who heads the state-run Polish Armaments Group (PGZ), made the remark in an interview with state news agency PAP, published on Wednesday.
Asked if Poland aimed to lead the way on Europe’s ammunition market, Chwałek said: “I am convinced that it is already a fact.”
Chwałek said this was confirmed by a March visit of the European commissioner responsible for the arms industry, Thierry Breton.
As part of his tour of ammunition-producing countries, Breton visited Polish company Dezamet, a subsidiary of PGZ, news outlets reported.
Breton’s tour followed the EU’s decision to provide Ukraine with 1 million 155mm artillery shells to help Kyiv fight the Russian invasion, Chwałek noted.
Chwałek told the PAP news agency: “Commissioner Breton emphasised that Poland was among the leading countries in terms of production capacity and had a key role to play in delivering ammunition ordered by the EU.”
Chwałek said that PGZ had grown dynamically in the past four years, thanks to the expansion of the Polish army, the geopolitical situation in the region and growing demand for its products among foreign customers.
“These factors are fueling our growth in terms of sales as well as increasing investment expenditures,” he added.
He noted that in June PGE signed a framework agreement with Poland’s defence ministry for the delivery of 1 million sets of artillery shells.
Chwałek said the deal marked “a real turning point” in ammunition orders.
Under the framework agreement, PGZ will deliver hundreds of thousands of 155mm artillery ammunition shells, as well as various types of 120mm ammunition, for the Polish army until 2029, the PAP news agency reported.
(pm/gs)
