Neways Electronics expands focus on defence sector
EMS provider Neways Electronics is expanding its defence-related operations, aligning with growing European ambitions to strengthen regional defence capabilities.
The company says it foresees strong near-term growth in its defence business and is repositioning itself to support national and European industrial defence strategies. As part of this effort, Neways is renaming its Smart Mobility business unit to Defence & Mobility, reflecting its broader strategic focus.
"We are proud that as a European company we can make a leading contribution to fulfilling the ambitions now set out in the Defence Strategy for Industry and Innovation, as well as to European defence-related product development and industrialisation. The urgency is high and Neways wants to help where it can," says Hans Büthker, CEO of Neways Electronics, in a press release.
The company has a long-standing presence in defence, with customers including BAE Systems, KNDS, Rheinmetall, Saab, and Thales. It operates production facilities in the Netherlands, Germany, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Malaysia. These sites offer both rapid prototyping and high-volume production capabilities tailored to the needs of defence-related systems.
In the Netherlands, Neways is supporting the rollout of the Netherlands Defence Technological Industrial Base (NLDTIB), a national initiative aimed at reinforcing domestic defence production.
To accelerate its response capacity, Neways has established a dedicated task force led by Chief Commercial Officer Michiel van der Maat, former vice chair of the Netherlands Defence and Security Industry Foundation (NIDV).
The company reports that defence activities already represent a significant share of its projected 2025 revenue and are expected to scale to several hundred million euros in the coming years.
"There is a great need for an effective and sizeable Dutch and European defence industry given geopolitical developments, while capacity is often still low. In order to quickly industrially scale up the defence ecosystem, we connect with key market players and Ministries of Defence. We do this with our experience in the defence industry, combined with our innovation capability, our knowledge and the industrial scale we can offer," Hans Büthker continues.
