Acquisition of MATADOR Industries

The holding company STV INVEST a.s. (STV INVEST), representing a group of companies in the defence and civil industry, continuing its expansion and acquisitions. The technology group, the main part of whose activities is concentrated in STV GROUP a.s. (STV GROUP), the only manufacturer of large-calibre ammunition in the Czech Republic that carries out repairs and modernisation of heavy military equipment, has agreed to take over the Slovak company MATADOR Industries, a.s. (MATADOR Industries), which is a subsidiary of MATADOR HOLDING. The whole process is still subject to the approval of the Slovak Antimonopoly Office. The price of the transaction will not be disclosed after the agreement of both parties.

"We are growing in the context of the European defence industry. We rely on established products and continue to invest in capacity, technology and development. We must be a reliable and stable partner for our customers and support our employees, in whom we are not afraid to invest so that they have the necessary competencies. Our people are our most valuable asset. We are constantly looking for opportunities for further development. The acquisition of the renowned Slovak company MATADOR Industries from the MATADOR Group is clear proof of this," says Martin Drda, Chairman of the Board of STV INVEST, who together with his family is the owner of the company.

MATADOR HOLDING, a.s., comprises approximately 22 companies with consolidated sales of EUR 180 million. MATADOR Industries' core business is the manufacture of equipment and machinery for the rubber industry as well as production for the defence industry. "MATADOR will continue to employ almost 1,500 employees, mainly in the field of development and innovation with a focus on automotive and real estate. Our goal is to invest resources for development in these segments outside the EU," says Štefan Rosina, President of the MATADOR Group.

"With the acquisition of MATADOR Industries, our Group gains new capabilities and opportunities in the production of components and assemblies for heavy military equipment, which we want to develop further. We have many years of experience in repairing heavy military equipment for the Army of the Czech Republic, of which we are a long-standing and reliable partner, and for foreign customers. This acquisition complements our strategy and enhances synergies across our Group. MATADOR Industries with its 240 qualified employees, quality machinery and more than 35,000 m2 of production space will contribute significantly to the expansion of our production capacity. As MATADOR Industries has experience in the production of platforms for automated lines, we see further synergies in close cooperation with DEUS Automation, which is part of our group. The latter deals with industrial automation in the production of ammunition and artillery ammunition, in which it has many years of experience," adds Martin Drda.

MATADOR Industries and Matador Holding

The history of MATADOR Industries dates back to 1928 when the idea of building a Slovak backup factory for the Plzeň Škoda Plants was born. Construction began a year later.

From the beginning, the company profiled itself as an engineering company with a focus on the military sector. The main current focus of MATADOR Industries is engineering metal production for several industries, such as the defence industry, the rubber industry or the energy industry, and the production of machines or their parts. These include pressing machines, grinding machines, medical equipment, bottling machines in the food industry, and machines for the production of tyres.

MATADOR Industries has also established itself as an important company in the Slovak defence industry. Since 2020, it has been manufacturing the superstructure parts of the Zuzana 2 howitzer (turret, cradle and lafette), which it supplies to the state-owned company ZŤS - ŠPECIÁL. The multi-year contract was a significant opportunity for the company to re-establish itself as a supplier in the defence industry sector.

MATADOR Industries had a total of 240 employees in 2023. Sales amounted to EUR 27 million and EBITDA reached EUR 3 million.

The MATADOR Group was founded in 1905. It is 100% owned by the Rosin family. It is one of the largest family-owned companies in Slovakia. It concentrates its activities mainly on the automotive industry. The portfolio of activities includes construction and design work, press tools, industrial automation and general engineering. In 2022, the MATADOR Group became a co-shareholder in the SODECIA Group in the field of pressing and welding automotive parts. MATADOR will continue to employ 1,500 employees directly after the divestment and more than 6,000 employees consolidated with SODECIA. Consolidated sales are at EUR 180 million.

STV INVEST and STV GROUP

The holding company STV INVEST represents a technology group of companies in the defence and civil industry. The main part of its activities is concentrated in STV GROUP, which is the only manufacturer of large-calibre ammunition in the Czech Republic and also deals with the repair and modernisation of heavy military equipment. The holding also includes other major companies. STV Technology produces ammunition for small arms, Fenix Protector focuses on ballistic protective equipment, DEUS Automation specialises in industrial automation and Poličské strojírny produces pneumatic door systems and mechanical ammunition components.

Through STV GROUP, the company developed a tradition of manufacturing military equipment and explosives that dates back to 1920, when the First Military Ammunition Factory in Polička was founded. At that time, its production was focused on the manufacture of hand grenades and artillery ammunition as part of Czechoslovakia's broader plan to increase its own defence capability and strategic independence. The consolidation of STV GROUP and Poličská strojírny in 2015 created the only Czech manufacturer of large-calibre ammunition.

The technology group under the umbrella of STV INVEST is working hard to make the world a safer place. Thanks to STV GROUP, the tradition of arms production in Czechoslovakia continues. It is once again building a complete munitions production facility entirely in the Czech Republic to make our country self-sufficient in this strategically important area. It values cooperation with the Czech Army and is a proud partner of the Army. It supports war veterans. It actively cooperates with the state administration and municipalities wherever it operates.

Gallery