About us
Full story
MSM EXPORT (member of MSM GROUP) has formed a joint venture with the Greek state-owned company Hellenic Defense Systems (HDS) to produce ammunition. The new company, Hellenic Ammunition S.A., is based in Lavrio, near Athens.
Both entities – MSM EXPORT (member of MSM GROUP) and HDS have jointly submitted applications as significant step forward in already existing crossborder b2b cooperation for the European Union’s ASAP call subsidy, aimed at expanding production capacities in Lavrio plant. The projects under this “ASAP CALL” include the revamping of a second filling line for artillery shells, the modernization of TNT production, and the creation of a new manufacturing facility for base bleed grain for extended range artillery shells.
We were successful in 2 out of 3 submitted projects and thus will further strengthen the existing partnership between MSM EXPORT (member of MSM GROUP) and HDS, particularly in terms of cross-border cooperation.
Additionally, we would like to acknowledge existing cooperation when MSM EXPORT’s technicians and experts provided substantial assistance to HDS in the reactivation of the filling line at the Lavrio plant. MSM EXPORT (member of MSM GROUP) and HDS have entered a contract for the filling of 100,000 artillery shells at the Lavrio facility in Q2 2023. This project had been selected as the first initial step in our cooperation and re-starting the military production in Lavrio plant.
Hellenic Defense Systems S.A. (HDS) is a state-owned Greek enterprise, with a long-term history in the defense sector. The company operates four major facilities, each specializing in different aspects of defense manufacturing.
The Lavrio plant, located approximately 60 kilometers south of Athens, is particularly notable for its specialization in the loading, assembly, and packaging of medium and large caliber ammunition. Despite its current underutilization due to outdated equipment, this facility holds a significant potential for revamping and modernization. Its strategic location near the Lavrio port and its supporting infrastructure, including storage for high-capacity explosives, confirms its readiness for increased production capabilities.
MSM GROUP is an industrial and technology group operating within CSG. It ranks among the global leaders in the development and manufacture of defense equipment, with a strong specialization in medium- and large-caliber ammunition. It brings together long-established plants, enabling it to control the entire manufacturing, service and supply cycle. The group’s manufacturing companies are located in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Spain, Germany, Serbia and Greece, and it continues to expand its footprint. MSM GROUP is working toward a unique position within the European defense industry – becoming the largest manufacturer of large-caliber ammunition. Through strategic acquisitions, it is building a complete value chain, from the production and processing of raw materials through the manufacture of pyrotechnic components to final product assembly.
CSG N.V. (“CSG”) is a Dutch company and a leading European defense industrial group whose senior management is based in Prague, Czech Republic. CSG develops and supplies defense and industrial technologies that contribute to a safer and more stable future. CSG focuses on the development and manufacture of strategically important products, systems and technologies in defense and ammunition, as well as in related sectors such as aviation and space. The group operates key manufacturing facilities in the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Serbia and India, and exports its products worldwide. CSG continues to invest in the growth of its portfolio companies and the expansion of its core business activities. Key companies in the group include Excalibur Army (Czech Republic, land systems), Tatra Trucks (Czech Republic, vehicles), MSM GROUP (Slovakia, artillery ammunition) and The Kinetic Group (United States, small-caliber ammunition). CSG employs more than 14,000 people across its integrated and affiliated companies. In 2025, the group reported annual revenue of EUR 6.7 billion. CSG shares are traded on Euronext Amsterdam under the ticker symbol CSG.