Fairbanks Morse Defense expands davit facility in Poland

Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD), a portfolio company of Arcline Investment Management, has announced a €6.98m investment to expand the Vestdavit production facility in Redzikowo, Poland, in partnership with the Pomeranian Regional Development Agency (PARR).

The site will become FMD’s Davit Manufacturing Centre of Excellence (DMCoE), supporting the production of handling systems for autonomous and crewed vessels. It will also provide localised support for NATO and European naval forces.

FMD senior executives and employees hosted PARR representatives and local and regional officials at a groundbreaking ceremony in Redzikowo on 13 August 2026. PARR manages the Słupsk Special Economic Zone and supports regional investment projects under the Polish Investment Zone programme.

FMD says the expansion will increase annual production by 80 per cent, nearly doubling its total production capacity for davits and maritime handling equipment.

Project will advance European strategic autonomy

“Poland’s Słupsk District was a clear choice for establishing our Davit Manufacturing Centre of Excellence given its strategic location, strong regional infrastructure and skilled workforce,” says Rolf Andreas Wigand, FMD managing director of Davits.

“The nearly €7m investment will not only enhance production capacity and output; it will also advance European strategic autonomy. By strengthening nearshore European manufacturing and supply chains, FMD can ensure allied navies have lifecycle support on the continent to execute increasingly dynamic missions in a contested maritime domain.”

The facility is expected to increase its workforce by 30 per cent over the next three years. New roles are expected to include welders, electricians, hydraulic technicians, assemblers and engineers working across production, maintenance and lifecycle support. FMD and Vestdavit are working with local municipalities and educational institutions on recruitment.

The investment includes approximately €5m for new buildings and €1.9m for production equipment and a test yard. The expansion will increase floor space from 3,000 to 5,600 square metres, with dedicated production halls for steel fabrication, machining, assembly and testing of davits produced by FMD businesses Vestdavit and Welin Lambie. Space will also be provided for hydraulic and electric assembly and winch installation.

Once complete, the expanded factory will have capacity to produce up to 150 davits annually, with provision for future FMD manufacturing programmes. The project is scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of 2027.

The facility is designed to allow multiple davits to be assembled in parallel. Additional CNC machining capacity and expanded testing facilities will also be installed.

Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD) supplies naval power and propulsion systems, marine technologies, OEM parts and related services. The company supplies equipment and services to the US Navy, US Coast Guard, Military Sealift Command and Canadian Coast Guard.