The construction of a 155 mm ammunition factory in Niewiadów

During the conference, a brief history of the Niewiadów facilities, current operations, and the progress that Grupa Niewiadów has made in recent years in the development of combat equipment production at the former factory in Niewiadów were presented, with particular emphasis on the work related to the plans to start the production of 155 mm caliber ammunition.

Photos: Grupa Niewiadów

The president of the Niewiadów facilities presented the existing infrastructure and the current state of work in adapting the areas of the former factories, warehouses, and proving ground in Niewiadów for the commencement of ammunition production. The gathered guests could see how the once deteriorating factory is transforming into a modern production and research facility. A plan of further actions was also presented, which will ultimately lead to Grupa Niewiadów starting the production of ammunition that is much needed by the Polish Armed Forces, as well as by foreign customers.

Grzegorz Niedzielski, President of Grupa Niewiadów:

“Our main goal for the coming years is to launch the production of artillery ammunition, including 155mm ammunition. For the past two years, we have been undertaking investment activities aimed at establishing a new production facility. We are currently expanding and renovating the storage base as well as the Research and Development Center.”

“We aim to launch projectile production within a team in 20 months. In the first phase, this will involve the start of three lines for loading the projectile bodies, coming from external sources, with explosives. In the second phase, after approximately one year, we will initiate the production of our own projectile bodies. Our production capacity will reach 180,000 units annually, with full protection of safety zones, adequate storage capabilities, and, most importantly, highly qualified engineering personnel. As part of this project, we also plan to establish a TNT casting facility and a packaging production line. All these tasks will be carried out using the modernized infrastructure owned by the company. We will source fuzes and charges externally under the terms of existing agreements. Ultimately, we also plan to launch fuze production. Work is already underway to start the production of our product, which should be completed within two years.”

“We have begun work on our own Polish technical documentation for 155mm ammunition. A conference dedicated to the development and production implementation of the new Polish 155mm ammunition, intended for use with the AHS Krab and K9 Thunder, was held at the Military Institute of Armament Technology (WITU) in Zielonka.”

“Recognizing the growing demand for 155mm ammunition supplies for the Polish army, Grupa Niewiadów SA took on the role of hosting a conference with the participation of foreign industrial entities experienced in the production of artillery ammunition components, as well as research institutes such as WITU and Bofors Test Center, along with representatives from PGZ.”

“The purpose of this meeting was to initiate the process of designing and implementing the production of new 155mm ammunition. We plan to establish a consortium of Polish and foreign entities that will ultimately produce ammunition intended for use with the AHS Krab and K9 Thunder. The main objective of the project is to develop our own product design, which will allow for the independent production of complete ammunition in Poland and enable its development into subsequent versions.”

Having our own Polish design is crucial for the large-scale production that Grupa Niewiadów SA plans to establish in its facilities in the coming years. It will also allow us to avoid the limitations typically imposed during technology transfer through the purchase of licenses.

Current state of infrastructure (initial). Phase I of investment: Warehouses

• Total storage area – 3,886 m²
• Storage capacity: Approximately 1,100,000 kg of TNT

Phase I of investment: Rail siding – visualization

Phase II of investment: Research and Development Center – visualization

Phase II of investment: Research and Development Center:

• 3 firing ranges with lengths from 100 m to 500 m
• Area for product fragmentation testing
• Detonation field
• Equipment and military devices for a full range of various measurements
• Area of 12 hectares

Own firing position

Phase III of investment: Medium and large-caliber ammunition production:

• Currently, cleanup and preparatory work are underway.
• Simultaneously, two of the three planned loading lines have been ordered. Their production and delivery will coincide with the completion of the factory hall modernization—approximately 15 months from now.

Phase IV of investment:

• Purchase of an office building, land for a hall to house fuse production, and a building designated for the R&D center.

Key strengths of ZSP Niewiadów:

• Compliance with formal requirements for ammunition production capabilities
• Sufficient infrastructure with the potential for significant expansion at minimal cost
• Location in central Poland with excellent access to key transportation hubs
• Signed letters of intent (reserved production slots) for component supply, enabling the fulfillment of a commercial contract for ammunition delivery as early as this year
• Reserved deliveries of production lines for loading operations
• Established research consortium, in collaboration with leading research centers from Poland and abroad, aimed at developing a proprietary license for the production of Polish 155mm ammunition
• Realistic plans to develop intellectual property (IP) for our own 155mm ammunition
• A ready plan for test firings to prepare ballistic tables using our own proving ground and ballistic cannon, as well as access to military proving grounds
• Potential for export sales, assuming ownership of IP
• Competent management and experienced staff
• Ongoing collaboration with the Ministry of National Defense (current deliveries)
• Flexibility and speed in implementing 155mm ammunition production
• High demand for 155mm ammunition from the Ministry of National Defense

Key assumptions and goals of the ammunition factory project:

• Production and sale of approximately 120,000 (ultimately 180,000) units of large-caliber ammunition annually (primarily 155mm ammunition).
• Future production of ammunition and its components based on proprietary Polish technical documentation developed in collaboration with international specialists, such as Bofors Test Center.
• Commencement of production within approximately 20 months from the order of projectile loading lines (1Q 2026).
• Potential customers include the Ministry of National Defense and foreign buyers from NATO countries.
• The ammunition factory will be established based on the existing infrastructure of ZSP Niewiadów in the complex located in Ujazd.
• The facility will be highly automated, which will enhance safety and reduce production costs.
• The production plant will be covered by property insurance.

Planned scope of investment:

• Modernization of the facility
• 3 production lines for loading
• Paint shop
• Packaging production line
• IT systems and other equipment

Press release