Dear colleagues, business partners, shareholders, and the people of Detva and the Podpoľanie region,
When our factory was established 70 years ago, few could have imagined that it would one day become one of the pillars of Slovak engineering. Yet that is exactly what happened. Over the decades, political systems, owners, markets and technologies changed, but one thing remained constant: the determination to survive. The determination to manufacture. The determination to develop a factory that would matter not only to Detva, but to the entire country. Today, it is no longer just a factory. It is a symbol. It is the steel heart of the Podpoľanie region, which has provided and continues to provide jobs for thousands of people, deeply rooted in history and experience, yet boldly looking towards the future.
We Want to Be the Best, We Want to Be Final Product Manufacturers
Our history has been closely linked to the production of world class finished products, including military transport vehicles, tracked vehicles, loaders, construction and material handling equipment exported in thousands of units around the globe. Defence production represented the engineering and technological pinnacle of its time. Although that era came to an end after 1989, PPS retained its ability to manage complex manufacturing assignments and demanding assembly processes.
One of the key changes we have been steering the company towards in recent years is the systematic focus of PPS Group on the production of finished products. It is no longer only about welding frames or blades. It is about complete solutions, including hydraulics, electrical systems, cabins and testing. This transition requires a different approach to manufacturing organisation, different know how and different qualifications, but the outcome is clear. In 2026, we want finished products to account for a share of our revenues that is 20 percent higher than it is today. And I believe we will achieve that. We have everything we need: the people, the experience and the technological capabilities.
What was only a vision a few years ago is gradually becoming reality. PPS is once again embarking on its own final production. It will no longer be only frames, buckets and blades. We are capable of designing, manufacturing and assembling complete equipment, including hydraulics, electrical installations and final testing. Such a transformation requires an entirely new approach, a different organisation of work, different teams and a different way of thinking. We want finished products to represent a significant part of our production. And I believe we will achieve that because it is worth it.
After almost three decades, we are therefore returning to the ambition of producing complete, finished machines once again, proudly bearing the label “MADE IN DETVA”. And not merely in a symbolic sense. We have already completed a prototype of our own finished product, a robust remotely operated mulching machine controlled by radio. As we intend to target the Ukrainian market as well, we are adapting it to operate in harsh conditions, including situations where it might encounter a landmine while mulching. With this product, we aim to return among those companies that do not merely manufacture components, but create complete high value added equipment. Two additional final machine projects are currently under development, and their prototypes could be completed by the end of the year. We also intend to build on the unique know how and experience of the past, including our capability to manufacture skid steer loaders. This technology was developed in our company, and it would be a great loss to allow it to fade away.
As part of a new cooperation project, we have started manufacturing large welded frames for specialised railway products weighing up to 20 tonnes. This requires demanding spatial and logistical solutions and places significant pressure on cost efficiency and the effective use of production space. Projects of this kind are perfectly suited to PPS because they enable us to fully leverage the spatial and technological potential of our facilities, as well as the experience and craftsmanship of our people.
A Challenging Period, Yet Excellent Results
The past year or two have thoroughly tested the character of our company, the capabilities of our people and the strength of the values on which PPS stands. It was a demanding period, filled with decisions that were not always popular, but were necessary. Today, we know that we made the right choices.
As we celebrate this anniversary, many people recall how PPS once served as a driving force behind the development of the entire region, supporting culture, sport and education. The situation is no different today, although the flow of money is less direct than it was in the past. Over the last four years alone, the company has paid EUR 21.7 million in health and social insurance contributions on behalf of its employees, EUR 317 thousand in property tax, which goes directly to local government budgets, and EUR 5 million in corporate income tax. In addition, we have invested more than EUR 14 million in technological equipment and in creating a better working environment. These are all funds through which we have made a significant contribution to pensions, healthcare, roads, schools, public safety, culture and sport. The difference is that today we no longer provide this support directly, as was often the case in the past, but through the state and local governments.
A Big Thank You to Everyone Who Played Their Part
Everything we have achieved at PPS so far has been made possible by dedicated people. Employees who demonstrated loyalty and professionalism even in times of uncertainty. Partners who placed their trust in us. And customers who continued to place their orders with us despite challenging circumstances. My sincere thanks go to every one of them. We have come a long way, but we want to go even further, and I am pleased that we can see not only the destination, but also the path that will take us there.
That is why we want to continue, and will continue, doing what we do best: creating value and developing engineering excellence beneath Poľana on strong foundations. Being a trustworthy partner. And remaining a company that all of us can rightfully be proud of.
I wish PPS continued success in building, on the strong foundations of its history, traditions and experience, a prosperous and thriving enterprise ready for the future.
JUDr. Daniel Futej
Chairman of the Board of Directors
It was not technology and machines that made PPS a factory with a soul, but the determined people of the Podpoľanie region who continue to breathe life into it.