Denmark purchased a bankrupt ammunition manufacturing plant to resume the production of armaments amid the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
The Minister of Defense of Denmark, Troels Lund Poulsen, announced this in a press release.
He stated, "Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has been ongoing for a year and a half, has created significant pressure on ammunition production in Europe and underscored the need to reestablish it in Denmark."
Poulsen emphasized that the investment was a strategic government initiative. However, he also indicated that some time would pass before production could be restarted.
The non-operational Denex facility in Elling, comprising 50 buildings on an 18,000-square-meter area, was acquired by the Danish Ministry of Defense's real estate agency for 2.6 million euros.
Denmark sold the 17th-century founded "AMA" plant in 2008 to the Spanish ammunition manufacturer Expal for 2.41 million euros. The plant continued to produce armaments and provided services to the country's Ministry of Defense as one of its main contractors.
This continued until 2020 when, after several years of losses, EXPAL decided to close the facility and completely liquidate it. The remaining land and infrastructure were sold to a group of private investors who decided to reorganize the area into a technology park.
The closure of the facility essentially meant not only the liquidation of an important and historic local enterprise but also the cessation of ammunition production in Denmark.
Currently, there are no specific timelines for the resumption of production or details regarding the types of ammunition planned for production. However, there have been mentions in online sources about the production of 155mm artillery ammunition.
It's worth noting that Denmark actively supports Ukraine with military supplies and is a consistent donor of artillery ammunition.
