Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1517379
HIGHER EMPLOYMENT - Undoubtedly, 2023 has been a successful year for FB Ra- dom. We have maintained a strong market position, and even though we are still facing a tough and demanding reality, we are ready to handle any circumstances. Over the years we have been working intensely, and thanks to good planning in the realm of our manufacturing, all de- liveries addressed to our customers have been successfully executed, according to the plan. The increase in manufactur- ing and the uninterrupted development of the company also means a continuous increase in employment, said Wojciech Arndt, president of the management board at the "Łucznik" Radom Arms Factory. The increase of the manufacturing capacity will not be possi- ble, if the undertaken actions are limited to expansion of the plant and manufacturing machinery, preparation of strategy, or business development plans. To accomplish what has been planned, an increase in employment is also necessary, and the management board is perfectly aware of that. This is why the aforesaid project has been divided into two stages, and it is expected that more jobs will be created at FB "Łucznik" Radom. – The first one pertains to the implementation of investment processes, involving procurement of machinery and hard- ware, and the adoption of facility infrastructure, to increase the manufacturing capacity of the facility. This has been divid- ed into several tasks, and it has virtually been completed, as we are waiting for the last pieces of hardware to be delivered – Wojciech Arndt, Ph.D. explains. In the second stage of the aforesaid project, an infrastruc- tural expansion is expected to happen, and this includes a new office-manufacturing-warehouse building and the de- velopment and procurement of new manufacturing lines for galvanizing processes. That stage has been formally launched and is expected to be finalized in 2026. Last year, building permits were obtained, and steps were made to launch the works. The new building is expected to take up the space where the current parking lot for the employees and guests is located, while the parking lot would be transferred to the other side of the street. That arrangement of buildings is to facili- tate the manufacturing process, and also the communications between the individual departments of the factory. ADDITIONAL ORDERS AND NEW CONTRACTS 023 has seen intense manufacturing efforts happening at Fabryka Broni. The same is expected in the upcoming years. All of the above stems from the conclusion of numerous long- term contracts signed, concerning the delivery of firearms for the Polish Armed Forces. Nonetheless, the management also recognizes the potential offered by the civil and foreign markets, and also the necessity to expand the offer with new, modern firearm designs, which, in turn, would make the offer more attractive to the potential customer, and would boost in- terest on the civil market which, over the years, has not been given proper attention. Annexes related to the previous contracts were also signed last year. In January 2023 Łucznik Radom Arms Factory and the Armament Agency signed an annex to an agreement with a value of 826 mln (gross), on extra deliveries of the 5.56x45 mm MSBS Grot A2 rifles for the Polish Armed Forces. Mariusz Błaszczak, head of the Polish MoD, approved that contract. Similar approval was issued concerning another 11 million zlotys worth agreement signed with the Armament Agency, on delivery of 250 7.62x51 mm NATO GROT 762N sniper rifles for the Polish Armed Forces. That agreement was signed on Feb- ruary 24th. On that day, signatures were placed underneath another annex, on delivery of an extra 88 thousand MSBS Grot rifles for the Polish Army, with a value of ca. PLN 1 bn. Notably, the procurement of the GROT 762N sniper rifles is very much relevant, from the point of view of the military. Currently, neither the Army nor the Territorial Defense Com- ponent, have a dedicated sniper rifle in their inventory. Over decades, SWD and SWD-M (SVD) were used in that role. Unfortunately, neither of these types are available in the ar- senal, due to the wear and tear, and the shortage of precision ammunition. The above means that procurement of the sniper rifles has become somewhat urgent. The premiere of a new MPS handgun is not the only interesting development that happened last year. Some works were accomplished, related to the project named "Expansion of Fabryka Broni "Łucznik" – Radom Sp. z o. o. Manufacturing Powers", the goal of which is to boost the factory's manufacturing capacity, and that was implemented following a decision made by the Company's management. www.fragoutmag.com