Polish Soldier Equipment in Germany, Switzerland and Beyond

Sponsored content

The most difficult contract so far?

Of those we have won, I would say the one for the Swiss Army. Very tight deadlines and, of course, the highest quality. Today, I can proudly say that we supply the Swiss Army with a significant part of its uniforms and equipment. From all kinds of equipment such as backpacks and plate carriers, to rainwear, headgear, uniforms and finally thermal clothing.

And the ones you didn’t win?

Definitely the huge contract for the complete uniform and equipment of the armies of all the Scandinavian countries. The Nordic Combat Uniform (NCU) programme meant significant costs for the company, as well as advanced design and research work that lasted seven years. Unfortunately, we were eliminated in the final round. However, just reaching the final was a great achievement. We stood shoulder to shoulder with the biggest names in Europe – Gore, Seyntex and Cooneen. This is invaluable experience that continues to pay dividends today, and we are trying to transfer it to other countries – for example, solutions from the NCU are currently used by our Special Forces (Protective Clothing 101/DKWS and the new model of the Special Forces Winter Jacket wz. 07/WS).

Which other armies do you supply?

The German, French, Dutch, Swedish, Finnish, Lithuanian, Latvian, Austrian and Polish armies, among others.

So what does the Polish army buy?

Compared to other armies, relatively little. Our main customer is the special forces. After numerous gruelling tests at the training ground, they chose our products themselves. They are a great and demanding customer. I am proud that we can supply uniforms for the special forces. We would very much like to show our products to the Armed Forces Support Inspectorate as well. I am sure they would be appreciated.

You have been around for over a dozen years, but we don’t hear much about you.

It’s true, we’re not on the front pages of newspapers, but that’s not our goal. We try to do our job and we are good at it, and we hope that this will be noticed. We recently delivered half a million backpacks to the Bundeswehr. I know that they are already being used by the German army. It is a great product and will certainly be noticed.

Can it be purchased anywhere?

When we recently presented our products at »Grotowisko«, the stand was literally besieged. The most frequently asked question by soldiers and military enthusiasts was »where can I buy this?«. Unfortunately, Unifeq does not sell anything in retail at the moment. We deliver in wholesale quantities and to order. But such feedback inspires us to create a line for the civilian and retail market. We have already started working in this direction.

Is your secret quality at a reasonable price?

Quality and reasonable prices are not everything. A company like ours must have a whole collection of necessary certificates, which are not easy to obtain. And then you have to be able to fulfil the order within the time specified in the contract. We are able to meet the most difficult orders and meet deadlines. This is not easy today, as we live in a time when supply chains are disrupted by unforeseeable circumstances. The globalised world has its advantages, but it also has its disadvantages. The 2008 crisis and the subsequent COVID pandemic have had a very negative impact on the textile and clothing industry in Europe. Now, a laborious recovery is underway.

Is your company involved in this process?

Yes, of course. We are the main shareholders of the production plants in Kętrzyn. We strive to locate our production in regions that need the most support due to structural unemployment or lower employment levels. Our plants boast state-of-the-art machinery, high social standards for our staff and excellent cooperation with local communities. The tangible results of this are contracts signed with the Swedish Army for the delivery of 40,000 sets of vests for carrying equipment, together with the equipment itself, and 40,000 large transport bags. A condition of the contract was that at least 50% of production had to be located in a plant within the European Union – we chose Poland, of course. These contracts are worth over PLN 70 million and will provide work for several hundred employees for the next few months.

What next? What are your plans for the future?

We are very interested in the »Szpej« programme for the Polish army. The subject is open, and we have established contact with the General Staff of the Polish Army. Polish soldiers deserve uniforms and equipment that meet 21st-century standards. We also have many plans for foreign deliveries. We will keep you informed about all of them.

And besides, Unifeq does not only manufacture. We are working on innovations in cooperation with Polish scientists. I will mention two of the many development topics: heated uniforms and a gel that is an excellent thermal insulator. We will soon show the results of this work

Sponsored content