Defense companies must be located in the old car factory of industrial company VDL Nedcar. The headquarters of VDL is in Eindhoven, but this old factory is located in Born in Limburg. The Ministry of Defense and VDL agreed on this location, the Ministry announced on Friday.
Several companies have to come to the location, including for the production of military drones and vehicles. Defense takes part of the costs, such as the rent. “This will be a flagship of the renewed cooperation between defense and companies,” says the ministry.
“This collaboration makes it possible to realize extra military production capacity in the Netherlands. For example, we become less dependent on countries outside Europe. Investing in our European and national defense industry is crucial,” says Minister Ruben Brekelmans (Defense).
His department has been talking to VDL about the factory for some time. “Both VDL and Defense are motivated to investigate how this location can be used to contribute to production initiatives,” the ministry wrote to the Chamber last April.
VDL Nedcar has made minis for car manufacturer BMW in recent years. At the beginning of last year, the last car rolled out of the factory. Due to the closure, more than four thousand people lost their jobs.
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Since 1967 cars have been produced in Born. In Europe, much more is spent on Defense since the Russia attack, three years ago on neighboring Ukraine. The war made it clear that the arms industry in Europe is too small and the dependence on producers somewhere else too great.
Due to the arrival of Donald Trump as president of the United States, the urgency to strengthen the European defense industry has grown further. Trump wants Europe to become responsible for its safety. He threatens NATO countries that do not spend insufficient spends on Defense in Nood.
The European Commission recently announced that it wanted to free up 800 billion euros for the next four years for the strengthening of the Ministry of Defense. That money must be due to European loans and having the European budget rules celebrated.