Profitability of ammunition company in Thun BE is at risk
Published: Saturday, Oct 19th 2024, 13:40
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The economically sustainable operation of the Thun BE production site of the Swiss ammunition manufacturer SwissP Defence is no longer guaranteed. This is due to a decline in orders from the Swiss Armed Forces for small-caliber ammunition in recent years.
The company, which formerly belonged to the Swiss ammunition manufacturer Ruag Ammotec, informed Swiss radio SRF of this. This statement from the company, which now belongs to the Italian manufacturer Beretta, has also been made available to the Keystone-SDA news agency. Radio SRF reported on the paper in its "Samstagsrundschau" program on Saturday.
SwissP Defence's statement also states that the "increasingly restrictive handling of export licenses" on the part of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) is having a significant impact on SwissP Defence's business activities. The company is in close contact with the Federal Department of Defense (DDPS) and expects to soon have created framework conditions for SwissP Defence that will economically safeguard the Thun production site.
It continues to be "the express and joint endeavor of all parties involved to guarantee Switzerland's autonomy of supply for small-calibre ammunition in the future via the traditional company SwissP Defence". In view of the changed geopolitical situation, this is considered "absolutely necessary". When purchasing SwissP Defence two years ago, the parent company Beretta undertook to maintain the Thun site for five years.
Urs Loher, head of the Federal Armaments Office (Armasuisse), said in the Samstagsrundschau that the company would contribute what it could. He also referred to a possible increase in order quantities. "The order quantity corresponds to what we have also purchased in the past," said Loher. It is "important to him that Switzerland has a strong defence industry". SwissP is part of this.
©Keystone/SDA
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