Prvi Partizan invests over 10m EUR in moving production from underground unit

- Užice's Prvi Partizan, which operates within Serbia's defense industry, plans to invest over 10m EUR within next three years in moving the production from an underground unit known as Rupa (Hole) - Dobrosav Andrić, the company's CEO, confirmed.

According to the words of the CEO of one of the most successful companies in the region of Užice, which exports 95% of production, the idea about that project is based on economic and human interest and originates before the tragedy that took place in September 2009 when seven workers died and fourteen were injured in an explosion in Rupa.

The City Council of Užice also started an official initiative in October 2009 for relocation of production from Rupa, which was sent to the Ministry of Defense and the management of Prvi Partizan.

This project is supported by the Minister of Defense, Dragan Šutanovac, who said during his recent visit to the factory that Prvi Partizan was the company of strategic importance to the state and its defense.

He reminded on that occasion that nearly whole production of sports and hunting ammunition and warheads from that factory in Užice was exported and that the value of export had exceeded 50m EUR in 2009.

During the visit to this factory, Mlađen Dinkić, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Economy and Regional Development of Serbia, also promised help in realization of the project for relocation of production from the underground unit.

The action plan for realization of relocation of Rupa, as Andrić explained, anticipates reconstruction and renovation of unit Alatnica in 2010, which is located above Rupa.

The decision should also be made soon on the need for procurement of premises of former company Gama where the production of "cartridges and kernels" would be moved.

The project for moving Rupa, as Andrić said, is a part of the company's investments in new equipment and modern technology.

As he explained, that is necessary in order for the company to be able to satisfy growing needs of the global market.