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DESPITE THE PANDEMIC STV GROUP KEEP THEIR OPERATION INTACT AND HELP TO PRODUCE FACE MASKS

The current extraordinary situation caused by the spread of COVID-19 disease has considerable influence on people, households as well as many companies. Some of them had to limit their operation. STV GROUP´s compound in Polička which the company shares with its sister company Poličské strojírny sees hundreds of people to move within daily. The high infectiousness of the new disease possesses significant risk for the company´s regular operation. Once the Czech government announced the state of emergency, the owner of STV GROUP adopted measures for the employees working in the compound as well as suppliers arriving there each day. The employees in the office jobs were allowed to work from home. Protective measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 were adopted for the employees engaged directly in production operations.

In the north of the Czech Republic close to Nové Město pod Smrkem town, another vast compound of STV GROUP is situated. Similar strict preventive measures were taken there as well resulting in good health of local employees as well as continuous production operation. STV GROUP employees utilized the tools they have at their disposal there to produce face masks for a giveaway to their local communities. So far, hundreds of face masks were given to the home for retired persons of Jindřichovice pod Smrkem and the deputy mayor of Nové Město pod Smrkem. “Current situation is unprecedented and very complicated for everyone. We put the greatest emphasis on the health of our employees and their families. There are plenty of protective tools at their disposal at their workplace including face masks and respirators. This helps us to limit the risk of spreading the disease and, at the same time, allows our employees to continue to work and receive a salary. Yet we are aware that many around us lack basic protective equipment. To help local communities we started with producing hundreds of face masks to provide those who needed in our region” told Martin Vondráček, the director of the Department of the Production of Ammunition, Explosives, and Ammunition Demilitarization at STV GROUP.

Fast response to curb the spread of the new coronavirus allowed STV GROUP and its sister companies to continue in production operations as usual which secures jobs for their employees and also on-time fulfillment of the contractual obligations to the Czech MoD and other partners at home and abroad.

The cluster of companies under the umbrella organization of STV INVEST including STV GROUP, STV TECHNOLOGY or Poličské strojírny, is one of the most important employers in Polička and the surrounding region. STV GROUP is one of the key suppliers to the Czech Ministry of Defense, NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), and many other governmental and private subjects in NATO, the European Union and elsewhere.

In its main production facility in Polička, STV GROUP produces small- to large-caliber ammunition, engineering ammunition, plastic explosive, and firearms. There are also modern maintenance halls where different types of military vehicles are overhauled or modernized such as main battle tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, or artillery systems. Currently, for the Czech Army, STV GROUP provides repairs of BMP-2 IFVs, supplies of 125 mm tank ammunition, or military uniforms. STV GROUP is the largest large-caliber ammunition producer in the Czech Republic. This year the company celebrates the 100th anniversary of large-caliber ammunition production in Polička.

In the future, STV GROUP will adapt and expand their production and technologies to cover the needs of the Czech Army implied by its planned modernization. Moreover, STV GROUP is ready to offer its experience and capabilities to ensure the successful adoption of new weapon systems as in case of the planned acquisition of new infantry fighting vehicles or new 155 mm NATO caliber howitzers. STV GROUP in cooperation with American producer Oshkosh Defence, the company offers new tactical vehicles JLTV to the Czech MoD which could replace obsolescent IVECO vehicles. Also, STV is ready to secure the replacement old Land Rover Defender and UAZ 4x4 vehicles in the Czech Army.