Production of military equipment at VDL in Born started

Production for Defense at VDL in Born has officially started. It involves unmanned vehicles by Milrem Robotics, batteries for military use by Tulip Tech and drones by DeltaQuad. Minister Ruben Brekelmans signed the agreements with the 3 companies.

Normally it takes years to get defense production up and running. At VDL it goes much faster. In a few months the first production lines are operational. Defense is renting 120,000 m² of halls and facilities in the South Limburg location for this purpose. Because many facilities and permits are already in place, production can start quickly. Former VDL employees will also get work again soon.

The cooperation with VDL is structural and applies for at least 10 years. More production lines will follow in the coming months. With the project Defense, companies and regional partners are working together to strengthen the safety of the Netherlands and Europe.

Defense, companies and regional partners are working together to strengthen the safety of the Netherlands and Europe.

Brekelmans says it is necessary to invest now. "To continue supporting Ukraine and deter Russia, scaling up defense production is needed quickly. This involves both innovation and industrialization, speed and scale. With VDL and other modern companies, we can get this done as Defense. VDL is the new flagship of the Dutch defense industry and is now in full swing."

Faster and stronger action

The new production means more independence from abroad and more strategic autonomy for the Netherlands. For Ukraine, it is crucial to keep up the fight against Russian aggression. With modern vehicles, batteries and drones, the armed forces can act faster and stronger.

So the launch in Born is good news for Limburg, the Netherlands, Ukraine and Europe. It will create jobs, strengthen the defense industry and increase resilience.