Galvion advances European expansion strategy with focus on next-generation soldier systems [INTERVIEW]

Lukasz Prus, Defence Industry Europe: Galvion has established itself as one of the key global players in advanced soldier systems, particularly within NATO markets. To set the scene for our readers, could you introduce the company – its core competencies, scale, and strategic positioning in the defence sector today?

Jonathan Blanshay, Founder and CEO of Galvion: Galvion is a Canadian defence company headquartered in Montreal, and we are now approaching our 25th year in operation. From the beginning, we were built with a very clear focus: to design and deliver advanced systems that directly enhance soldier performance and survivability. Today, we employ approximately 500 people globally, and the vast majority of our business – around 95 percent – is dedicated to military customers.

We are best known as a leading provider of advanced head systems, particularly for NATO countries. Over the past decade, we’ve been selected by many of the most sophisticated armed forces in the world, including the United States Marine Corps, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, and a number of Nordic countries such as Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland.

What is important to understand about Galvion is that we are not a traditional manufacturer. We are fundamentally a design-led, technology-driven company. Our role is to understand how soldiers operate in real environments and then engineer solutions that improve their effectiveness, survivability, and overall experience. That philosophy has shaped everything we do, from product development to customer engagement.

In recent years, NATO procurement processes have evolved significantly, placing greater emphasis on performance, lifecycle value, and – crucially – end-user feedback. From your perspective, what has been the key driver behind Galvion’s success in such a demanding and competitive environment?

The most decisive factor has been our relentless focus on the end user – the soldier. In modern NATO procurement processes, particularly in more advanced countries, user trials have become a central element of decision-making.

These are not symbolic exercises. They are rigorous, structured evaluations in which soldiers test equipment over extended periods, in different environmental conditions, and in combination with other systems they rely on. They assess not only protection, but also comfort, balance, compatibility, and overall usability.

We have been very successful in this environment because our entire design philosophy starts with those real-world conditions. We don’t begin with manufacturing constraints or cost optimization – we begin with the operational problem. How does a soldier wear this for 12 hours? How does it perform in extreme cold or heat? How does it integrate with night vision, communications systems, or other mission-critical equipment?

As a result, we are proud to say that we have never lost a NATO tender where comprehensive user trials were the decisive factor. That is not about marketing – it is about aligning engineering with the actual needs of the people who depend on this equipment in the field.

Following on from that, the concept of “user-centric design” is often discussed, but not always fully implemented in practice. Could you elaborate on how this philosophy translates into tangible product advantages and differentiates Galvion from more traditional manufacturers?

It starts with a very different way of thinking about what a helmet or a head system actually is. Traditionally, helmets were treated as standalone protective items –essentially passive equipment designed to stop fragments or impacts. That remains important, of course, but it is only one part of the equation.

Today, we approach the helmet as a platform. It has to carry and integrate multiple subsystems – night vision devices, communications, sensors, power sources – while remaining comfortable, stable, and reliable over long periods of use.

This creates a series of engineering challenges. Weight distribution becomes critical. Even small imbalances can lead to fatigue or strain over time. Fit is another key factor—we design for a wide range of users, ensuring that the system adapts to the individual, not the other way around. Modularity and upgradability are equally important, because militaries increasingly expect systems to evolve over a lifecycle of 10 to 20 years.

In contrast, some parts of the market still focus primarily on producing large volumes at the lowest possible cost. That often results in products that meet mere basic protection requirements but fall short in terms of integration, comfort, and long-term adaptability. Our customers – particularly advanced NATO forces – are moving decisively away from that model. Forces from different NATO countries also need to work together more and more closely, this is why interoperability between different forces becomes more and more important – Galvion’s system deliver exactly that.

At the same time, the global security environment and lessons learned from recent conflicts are driving increased demand for advanced equipment. How is this translating into market demand, and how is Galvion adapting its production capacity and supply chain to respond?

We are seeing sustained and accelerating demand, particularly from NATO countries that are modernizing their forces and investing in next-generation digitized soldier systems. That demand is not only for quantity, but for higher capability and greater integration.

Today, our production capacity is in the hundreds of thousands of helmets annually, and we anticipate growth of approximately 20 percent per year over the next several years. To support this, we are expanding our manufacturing footprint and rebalancing it geographically.

Historically, the majority of our production has been in North America. Over time, we expect Europe to account for a larger share – potentially up to 60 percent of our capacity. This shift is driven by customer requirements for in-region manufacturing, supply chain resilience, and reduced logistical risk.

From a supply chain perspective, we have built a robust network primarily within NATO and allied countries. This is essential, as many defence programs require sourcing from trusted partners. We also maintain strong, long-term relationships with key material suppliers, which ensures reliability and continuity even in challenging conditions.

Europe is increasingly positioning itself as a critical pillar of defence industrial capacity, with Central and Eastern Europe gaining particular importance. In this context, could you elaborate on Galvion’s decision to invest in Poland and how you assess its role within your broader European strategy?

Poland is a very important part of our European strategy and, in many ways, one of the most dynamic markets we are engaging with today.

We currently operate a facility in Gdansk, Poland of approximately 4,000 square meters, employing around 100 people. What is particularly significant is that we are not just assembling products – we are actively transitioning toward full manufacturing capabilities. Over the next 12 months, we plan to more than double both the size and the scope of this operation.

Our decision to invest in Poland followed a comprehensive evaluation of multiple countries. We looked at factors such as workforce quality, logistics, cost, and proximity to key markets. Poland stood out not only in terms of technical capability, but also in terms of mindset. There is a strong commitment to defence, a clear ambition to develop industrial capacity, and a highly motivated workforce.

We have also had very positive engagement with Polish special operations forces, which are among the most capable and respected in NATO. Their level of professionalism and operational sophistication is extremely high, and they are already using advanced systems comparable to those of top-tier allied units.

At the same time, we see significant potential for deeper engagement with the broader Polish Armed Forces. As Poland continues to expand and modernize its military, we believe there is a strong opportunity to contribute more broadly. Our approach is always collaborative – we want to engage with stakeholders, understand their long-term requirements, and align our solutions accordingly.

In addition to that, we are assessing options for a potential production facility in Germany if we were tasked again with delivering substantial numbers for the German Bundeswehr.

Looking ahead, technological transformation is reshaping the battlefield, with increasing emphasis on connectivity, data, and real-time situational awareness. How do you see the evolution of helmet systems and the broader role of the soldier within this changing operational environment?

We are in the middle of a fundamental transformation. The helmet is no longer just a protective device – it is becoming a central node in a connected soldier system.

Historically, protection was passive. You wore a helmet or body armor, and its primary function was to protect you if you were hit. Most of the time, it was simply additional weight. That paradigm is changing.

The future is about active systems that enhance situational awareness and decision-making. Soldiers will increasingly operate with integrated sensors, real-time data feeds, advanced communications, and augmented reality capabilities. The ability to see, understand, and react to the environment in real time will be a decisive advantage.

This requires a high level of integration. It is not enough to attach multiple devices to a helmet—the system has to function as a coherent whole. That includes power management, data distribution, software interfaces, and human-machine interaction.

In many ways, the soldier of the future will resemble a pilot, equipped with a fully integrated system that delivers critical information directly to them, without overwhelming them.

As this transformation accelerates, the boundaries between individual equipment and integrated systems are becoming increasingly blurred. How is Galvion positioning itself to address this shift and expand beyond its traditional product areas?

We have been investing in this direction for many years. While head systems remain a core part of our business, we are increasingly focused on the broader ecosystem around the soldier.

This includes on-body computing, power management systems, data hubs, and software interfaces that enable seamless integration of multiple technologies. We are moving from being a component provider to being a system integrator.

One of the key drivers behind this shift is the recognition that soldiers operate as part of a system. If individual components do not work together effectively, overall performance is compromised. Our goal is to ensure that everything – from sensors to communications to power – functions as an integrated platform.

We are already seeing strong interest from customers in this area, and we expect it to be a major growth driver for the company over the next decade.

Turning to the business perspective, sustained growth and innovation require strong financial foundations and continuous investment. Could you share some insights into Galvion’s performance and strategic priorities in this regard?

As a private company, we do not disclose detailed financial figures, but I can say that we are generating revenues in the hundreds of millions of euros and maintaining strong, consistent growth in the range of 15 to 20 percent annually.

Our backlog is currently at a record level, covering approximately 12 months of production. This provides us with a high degree of visibility and stability as we continue to expand.

Importantly, we reinvest a very significant portion of our earnings into research and development. We see ourselves very much as a technology company, and maintaining that innovation pipeline is critical to our long-term success.

Finally, the defence sector is facing increasing pressure related to workforce availability and manufacturing efficiency. How is Galvion balancing the need for skilled personnel with the growing role of automation and advanced production technologies?

Like many companies in the defence sector, we operate in a competitive environment for talent. We continue to invest heavily in hiring engineers, software developers, electrical technicians, and skilled manufacturing personnel.

At the same time, we are advancing our use of automation and advanced manufacturing technologies. The objective is not to replace people, but to enhance quality, consistency, and repeatability. In our field, precision is critical—small variations can have significant impacts on performance.

We have been using technologies such as 3D printing for prototyping for many years, and we are gradually incorporating more advanced methods into production. However, given the nature of defence equipment, reliability is paramount. Every product must perform perfectly, every time.

Ultimately, our approach is to combine human expertise with technological innovation to deliver the highest possible standard of equipment to our customers.