The first phase is already under way, with construction starting on a 5,500-square-metre hall intended mainly for welding. Its production section is expected to begin trial operations in December 2026, followed by completion of the administrative area in April 2027.
A second phase will follow, adding about 8,500 square metres for machining and painting. Tatra Defence is preparing the project documentation and expects to complete the hall in the first quarter of 2028.
“In total, 14,000 square metres of new production areas will be created in Kopřivnice in two stages,” Tatra Defence Chief Executive Tomáš Mohapl said. CSG’s spending will also cover machine tools, specialist measuring equipment, surface-treatment facilities and other production machinery.
The first phase includes a three-storey administrative building with room for more than 150 employees. Its ground floor will contain a reception area, canteen and staff facilities.
The expansion is also driving recruitment at the site, where Tatra Defence expects to add up to 300 employees by the end of 2026. A further increase is planned for the following year.
“More than 550 employees currently work in companies operating under the Tatra Defence brand,” Chief Operating Officer Adam Binar said. “For 2027, we expect to recruit more than another 100 people.”
CSG is coordinating the project with a separate investment programme at Tatra Trucks, which shares the same industrial site. The approach is intended to make efficient use of available land, infrastructure, utilities and logistics links.
Plans also cover changes to the area next to the Tatra Truck Museum and the construction of new parking spaces, some of which should be available to museum visitors. Preparatory work is expected to start in late 2026 once the project receives final regional approval.
Tatra Defence produces and modernises wheeled and tracked armoured vehicles for Czech and international customers. Its portfolio includes the Pandur 8×8, TITUS 6×6 and TADEAS, as well as armoured cabins, superstructures and platforms for global tank and tracked-vehicle manufacturers.
