foto: Spolana / Public domain/Spolana Neratovice
In addition to petrochemicals, the Polish company Orlen is also active in the chemicals sector. Production of sulfuric acid — a key substance needed for gunpowder manufacturing — is already underway at Spolana in Neratovice.
Against the backdrop of rising tensions in Europe and the push to strengthen domestic defense industries, new opportunities are emerging for Czech chemical plants. The Polish energy and chemicals giant Orlen, which controls the Czech company Unipetrol and, through it, Spolana in Neratovice, is seriously considering entering defense-related production. Orlen CEO Ireneusz Fąfara announced this at the Polska Chemia congress. According to the economic magazine WNP, he declined to provide further details at this stage. This strategy could significantly revitalize Spolana, which has undergone painful restructuring in recent months.
Following restructuring last year and this year, the company halted production of PVC and caprolactam, laid off hundreds of employees, and shifted its focus primarily to sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid, together with nitric acid (also produced within the Orlen Group), is a critical raw material for the nitration processes used in manufacturing explosives and gunpowder.
According to chemical industry sources cited by WNP, Orlen could relatively quickly establish production lines in Neratovice for nitro compounds needed by both Polish and Czech arms manufacturers. Spolana already possesses the necessary technological infrastructure and skilled workforce, making new production lines a logical next step. The investment would not need to be overly complex, as the chemical industry routinely handles these substances.
The Defense Industry and Orlen: A Partnership for Strategic Sovereignty
Defense companies in both Poland and the Czech Republic are working hard to build secure domestic supply chains. A cooperation agreement with Orlen could guarantee stable supplies of chemical precursors for ammunition, rocket propellants, and specialty materials. As a major player with vast capacities in petrochemicals and chemicals, Orlen is an ideal partner for such projects.
In the Czech Republic, this move would also support the government’s efforts to bolster the defense industry. Shifting Spolana toward defense chemicals would create not only new jobs but also greater strategic independence in the supply of critical materials. After the recent layoffs, the plant currently employs around 150–160 people. New production lines could bring in several hundred additional workers.
Spolana’s History and Current Situation
Spolana was founded in 1950 as the state-owned enterprise Neratovice. In 2001, as part of the privatization of state assets, it became part of Unipetrol, which was acquired by Poland’s PKN Orlen in 2005. The 260-hectare industrial complex historically employed thousands of people. In recent years, it has faced serious financial difficulties due to high energy prices, competition from Asia and the United States, and falling demand for PVC.
In 2024–2025, production was scaled back and several investments were canceled, including a planned new PVC unit that was to be financed by the EU Modernization Fund. Modernization of sulfuric acid production continues, however, and is laying the groundwork for potential expansion. Speculation about using the site for defense purposes has circulated for some time. Neither Spolana nor Orlen Unipetrol has denied these rumors, and the companies are actively seeking new uses for parts of the site.
Entering defense production offers several advantages. It would provide a stable customer base in the form of the state and armed forces, reducing dependence on the volatile petrochemical market. The existing sulfuric acid infrastructure would create direct synergies with nitrocellulose production — an essential component of gunpowder. The project could also draw on European and national defense funding. Overall, it would allow the plant to diversify into strategic, higher-value production. Naturally, this would require complex certification processes and regulatory approvals, but the chemical industry has extensive experience in this area.
An Opportunity That Should Not Be Missed
The war in Ukraine has highlighted the critical importance of domestic production capacity for ammunition, missiles, and drones. Orlen and Unipetrol’s involvement could strengthen the Central European pillar of the defense industry. For Neratovice, it would represent hope for an economic revival in a city long dependent on the chemical sector.
Spolana in Neratovice stands at a crossroads. Instead of continued downsizing, a path toward high-tech defense chemistry within a strong Polish group has opened up. If Orlen follows through with its plans, the plant could become a key supplier not only for Polish defense but also for Czech and broader European needs. This would mean hundreds of new jobs, technological advancement, and greater strategic independence. Only time will tell whether these speculations turn into concrete investments.
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