GREECE —A €40 million capacity upgrade at the Sindos facility in Northern Greece will expand domestic manufacturing from traditional heavy vehicles into unmanned aerial systems and autonomous platforms. The funding commitment follows an initial €20 million restructuring expenditure by SK Group to optimize operational workflows at the site.
ELVO – Hellenic Vehicle Industries functions as Greece’s primary manufacturer of specialized defense and commercial transportation vehicles, supplying ground systems to national armed forces and international defense clients. Following its privatization, the enterprise operates as a subsidiary of Israel's SK Group, a technology and defense conglomerate specializing in small arms, electro-optics and land systems.
The strategic capital allocation accelerates Western military supply chain localization by establishing a Mediterranean manufacturing hub capable of delivering complete autonomous hardware. By integrating advanced drone assembly alongside existing mechanized vehicle lines, the expansion addresses rising regional demand for uncrewed tactical platforms among European and NATO partners.
The industrial program will generate approximately 300 specialized engineering, operational, and technical roles in Thessaloniki. Beyond direct hiring, the facility's enlarged operational scope is projected to integrate local component suppliers into high-value defense value chains, driving secondary industrial growth across Northern Greece.
For global defense contractors and regional industrial partners, the transformation signals heightened competition in the Mediterranean defense sector while establishing new opportunities for joint R&D and sub-component contracting in autonomous systems assembly.
