Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD), a portfolio company of Arcline Investment Management, today announced a 6.98 million euro investment in the expansion of the Vestdavit production facility in Redzikowo, Poland, in partnership with the Pomeranian Regional Development Agency (PARR). The site will serve as FMD's global Davit Manufacturing Centre of Excellence (DMCoE), providing localised support to NATO and European naval forces, while producing the advanced systems needed to deploy and recover autonomous and crewed vessels.
Credit: Fairbanks Morse Defense
Vesdavit production facility in Redzikowo, Poland
To mark the announcement, FMD senior executives and employees hosted representatives of the PARR as well as local and regional officials at an August 13 groundbreaking ceremony in Redzikowo. PARR manages the Słupsk Special Economic Zone and supports regional investment projects under the Polish Investment Zone programme. FMD announced that the facility expansion will increase annual production by 80%, nearly doubling FMD’s total production capacity of davits and maritime handling equipment. The additional capacity will enhance FMD’s ability to provide NATO and European naval forces with the most advanced handling systems while maintaining the highest standards of quality and workplace safety.
"Poland's Słupsk District was a clear choice for establishing our Davit Manufacturing Centre of Excellence given its strategic location, strong regional infrastructure and skilled workforce," said Rolf Andreas Wigand, FMD Managing Director of Davits. "The nearly 7 million euro investment will not only enhance production capacity and output, but it will also advance European strategic autonomy. By strengthening nearshore European manufacturing and supply chains, FMD can ensure allied navies have lifecycle support on the continent to execute increasingly dynamic missions in a contested maritime domain."
In direct support of the regional economy, FMD’s DMCoE will create an expected 30% increase in workforce growth over the next three years. The expansion will generate demand for specialized technical expertise, including welders, electricians, hydraulic technicians, assemblers, and engineers to aid in production, maintenance, and lifecycle support. FMD and Vestdavit are actively collaborating with local municipalities and educational institutions to identify and recruit local labour.
The investment in the facility includes approximately 5 million euros for new buildings and 1.9 million euros for production equipment and a test yard. The factory expansion will grow existing floor space from 3,000 square metres to 5,600 square metres, adding dedicated production halls for steel fabrication, machining, assembly and testing of davits produced by FMD businesses Vestdavit and Welin Lambie, as well as hydraulic and electric assembly and winch installation. The additional factory floor space will enable annual production of up to 150 davits, with flexibility to accommodate future FMD manufacturing programmes.
With a target completion date in Q4 2027, the facility will scale production and accelerate delivery of mission-critical shipboard equipment, in line with growing European and NATO demand. As currently designed, the site enables parallel assembly of multiple davits, supporting faster turnaround. Additional advanced CNC machining capacity and expanded testing capabilities will further strengthen product quality and operational efficiency, while directly contributing to the revitalization of NATO defence industrial capacity.
Establishing the DMCoE in Poland strengthens FMD's manufacturing and sustainment presence in Europe, helping reduce delivery and support timelines to European navies. Building on a baseline of manufacturing precision and design expertise, FMD's investment in the Polish facility will provide European fleets with localised access to mission-critical equipment supported by regional supply chains.