Česká zbrojovka a.s. is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year in excellent form and with style
The arms factory in Uherský Brod, a small town in Southeast Moravia, near the borders with Slovakia, was established in 1936 as a branch plant of the renowned Česká zbrojovka, a joint stock company in Prague with its main factory in South Bohemian Strakonice. The construction of this entirely new business – literally on a green field – took place at the instigation of the Czechoslovak military administration, which insisted on transferring production capacity to less exposed eastern regions of the republic due to acute threat to the western borders of Czechoslovakia from Nazi Germany.
.pdf to download (czech)
The first task of the Uherský Brod plant was to ensure the production of aircraft machine guns, model 30, one of the most modern automatic weapons in the world at the time. The Czechoslovak state supported this time and technologically very demanding project by creating beneficial financial and tax conditions, thanks to which a basic production plant and administrative buildings could be built in Uherský Brod by the end of November 1936. By the end of the same year, all equipment was installed and serial production was launched at the beginning of 1937.
Thus began the uninterrupted, ongoing tradition of arms production in Uherský Brod, the bearer of which has been Česká zbrojovka a.s. since 1992. Moreover, the company can boast the title of the oldest continuously operating Czech arms business focussed on the production of small firearms today.
During the course of 75 years, several dozens of firearm models alternated in the portfolio of the arms factory in Uherský Brod, ranging from the aforementioned aircraft machine guns through a wide assortment of other service weapons, defensive pistol and revolvers, hunting rifles or shotguns and rifle-shotguns, to air guns and pistols. Numerous products from Uherský Brod became legends worldwide – for example the CZ 75 pistol, the ZKK 600 rifle, the ZKM 452 rimfire rifle or Slavia air gun; among newer products the CZ 550 and CZ 527 rifles. However, even brand new models of the CZ brand have already managed to gain an excellent reputation, especially the DUTY pistol or CZ 455 and CZ 512 rimfire rifles.
Apart from an extensive offer for the civil sector, the arms factory in Uherský Brod has taken up the position of exclusive supplier of shooting equipment for home armed and security forces for decades already in accordance with its original specifications. (From this assortment, mainly the model 58 submachine gun or the original model 61 Scorpion compact submachine gun celebrated fame). As a result of political and economical changes after 1989, Česká zbrojovka a.s. was forced to temporarily resign from this role, however, it did not prevent it from expending funds on research and development of new service weapons. A successful finale of these activities is the new CZ Army & Law Enforcement Programme, within the course of which Česká zbrojovka a.s. offers military and security forces a complete line of modern weapons, covering an effective shooting range distance ranging from 0 to 1000 metres.
Under a fortunate play of circumstances, automatic weapons, namely CZ SCORPION EVO 3 A1 submachine guns and CZ 805 BREN line assault guns first ordered by the armed forces of the Czech Republic, are returning the production programme in Uherský Brod just in time for the 75th anniversary of the factory’s establishment, whose first task was to produce the finest automatic weapons for the home army. The Uherský Brod company could not find a better and more stylish way to celebrate its three-quarter of a century existence.
Moreover, from an economic perspective, Česká zbrojovka a.s. is now undergoing its most successful period ever in history. The groundbreaking point in this aspect was when Ing. Lubomír Kovařík joined the company as Director General in June 2006. Under his management, the company portfolio has undergone extensive modernisation, which has significantly affected its production processes as well. The result is the entrance of an entirely new generation of CZ civil and service weapons, which have experienced a very positive response on the market.
In 2010, the best economic results ever since the joint stock company was established were achieved, even in spite of the fading economic recession worldwide. Revenues for its products, goods and materials reached values of 1 702 million CZK, thereby profits after taxation totalled 138 million CZK. For comparison, net profits after taxation in 2009 were 90 million CZK.
Although the main share in revenues was the traditional production of arms, even the so-called cooperative production for the automotive and aerospace industry did very well in 2010. Revenues in this branch rose to a value of 307 million CZK, which is an understandable impulse for Česká zbrojovka a.s. to continue to expand this production including further investments into this segment.
The turning point in 2010 was signing two contracts with the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic to supply CZ 805 BREN A1 assault pistols and CZ 805 BREN A2 carbines with CZ 805 G1 suspended grenade launchers, or CZ 75 SP-01 PHANTOM pistols and CZ SCORPION EVO 3 A1 submachine guns. These contracts in the total of 1.23 billion CZK are exceptionally significant for Česká zbrojovka, not only from the perspective of direct economic impact; as was already mentioned, what is fundamental is the return of the Uherský Brod company to the long lasting tradition as a key strategic supplier to domestic armed forces, which will undoubtedly facilitate the process of establishing these refined arms products on foreign markets.
Renewed production for armed and security forces has naturally not yet been able to project itself in a positive light in the company’s economic results; on the contrary, for Česká zbrojovka it has meant substantial investments into starting up serial production. On the other hand, from the aspect of conducted sales, it is important to mention its emphasis on sales in the Asian region, mainly Thailand and furthermore, the business successes attained with new CZ 455 and CZ 512 rimfire rifles.
Among other significant events of 2010, it is worth mentioning the change in the name of the company BRNO RIFLES s.r.o., which is a subsidiary of Česká zbrojovka a.s. Since the situation surrounding ZB trademarks was clarified, this heir to renowned traditions of the no longer existing Brno arms giant has been carrying a new name ZBROJOVKA BRNO s.r.o. since July 2010. Moreover, another subsidiary of Česká zbrojovka a.s. is the company CZ-USA established in 1997 and based in Kansas City in the state of Kansas. For years, it has achieved long-term excellent results on the exceptionally demanding North American market and apart from CZ products of the controlling company it also offers its own product lines CZ-USA, Safari Classics and Dan Wesson.
Let’s also add that in 2010, as the only founder, Česká zbrojovka a.s. founded the Czech Shooting Foundation as the first foundation of its kind in the Czech Republic, which aims at supporting the widest possible portfolio of shooting disciplines.
Even financial support, which Česká zbrojovka a.s. provided for filming the film Lidice is worthy of mention. The reason for this partnership is not just the incredible quality of scenarios of the acclaimed writer and historian Zdenek Mahler, the realisation of which director Petr Nikolaev took over with the help of a whole cast of the finest acting personalities, but also the unmistakable historical correlation. The film’s storyline begins in a period of unease with a lingering threat to the Czechoslovak borderland from expanding Fascism, which was the main reason for establishing the arms factory in Uherský Brod. Support of this valuable film is thus another way of reminding that it is Česká zbrojovka Uherský Brod’s 75th anniversary of its existence.
Česká zbrojovka plans to celebrate its seventy-five years of existence accordingly with a limited edition of products, which brought it the most fame – the CZ 75 pistol. Well over a million pieces of the weapons of this already very extensive model family have been sold since the beginning of its production, not to mention that it is one of the most copied pistols in the world. The Uherský Brod arms factory has the best experience with this form of reminder of a significant event, as previous limited editions sold out like hot cakes. This last happened one year ago in the instance of 333 CZ 75 SP-01 SHADOW pistols with gilded controls and the signature of the two-time world champion in IPSC shooting Adam Tyc engraved on them. A limited edition of suitably emblazoned CZ 75 pistols in classic design will be prepared for the 75th anniversary.
