The Danish Ministry of Defence has chosen Norwegian-Finnish aerospace and defense group Nammo to help restart Denmark’s local production of small- and large-caliber ammunition. The ministry said the contractor can start manufacturing the shells and cartridges at the old Expal plant in North Jutland as soon as negotiations are finalized.
According to Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Troels Lund Poelsen, the initiative forms part of the Danish government’s push to improve its ammunition stocks. “This will make a difference to the security of supply for Denmark, the Nordic region and Europe,” the minister said.
Nammo CEO Morten Brandtzaeg indicated that negotiations are underway to get production started.
“Nammo has what it takes to become a long-term and solid partner for Denmark, with deep industrial and technical expertise, established supply chains, and solid Norwegian-Finnish ownership to bolster lasting Nordic cooperation,” the chief executive said.
Local Ammunition Production
Poelsen said the decision to restart local ammunition production comes amid mounting national security concerns, the Ukraine-Russia war and growing global instability.
Nammo will manufacture NATO-standard shells and cartridges at the Eiling factory that Copenhagen purchased from Expal In October 2023. Denmark will extend an additional $7 billion in funding over two years to further support the effort.
The company, founded in 1998, specializes in producing rocket motors, shoulder-fired weapons and specialty ammunition. Its portfolio includes environmentally friendly demilitarization services, shoulder-launched munitions systems, and rocket motors for military and space use.