INTERVIEW: CZ introduces the most modern service weapons

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Franz von Stauffenberg manages the military/police and civilian markets in Western Europe for the Czech arms manufacturer Česká zbrojovka Uherský Brod (CZ). We interviewed the "Head of Sales - Western Europe" and wanted to know what CZ offers authorities, what the company from eastern Czech Republic can do technically, and where they particularly want to get involved in Western Europe - especially in terms of tenders in Germany.

SPARTANAT: CZ as a firearms company is a big name, known for sporting purposes. However, CZ is much more than that and produces a full range of service weapons for the military and police. What makes these weapons from CZ so interesting?

Franz von Stauffenberg: CZ is a European manufacturer that develops and produces to high standards. All weapons are meticulously tested by the proof house according to CIP rules. Our company has experienced very positive growth in recent years and is technically, qualitatively, and financially very stable. The vast majority of the company's shares are owned by a family, allowing for a clear strategy to be implemented and followed. This approach has proven very successful, CZ is in a very good position and is on a growth path. A new focus for government products will be Western Europe.

Especially for agencies, CZ is a good partner, as the Czech Republic is not only a member of the EU and NATO, but the products are not subject to US ITAR rules, which is important for many customers.

SPARTANAT: At the core of the program, we see the CZ Bren assault rifle and the Scorpio Evo submachine gun, as well as handguns for service. What can CZ offer to authorities?

Franz von Stauffenberg: The team at CZ consists of former users from the military and police sectors, which greatly helps CZ understand the needs of customers and speak the same language.

CZ is very flexible in customizing our products to meet the needs of the customer. Through our segmentation into the major areas of MIL/LE, Hunting, and Sport, we can mix the best features and merge them into products.

One of the major tasks will be to provide potential customers with our products for testing and thorough presentation, and we still have a lot of work to do in this area in Western Europe. But with good partners on site and a motivated team, this hurdle can be overcome.

Recently, CZ products have been placed at agencies in Portugal, France, and Finland. We are confident that the circle of satisfied users will grow as we meet the users' requirements well.

In addition to the BREN and EVO products, we also offer training systems and training as needed. The user base for these two products is increasing rapidly, as can be seen from the production numbers. We have introduced a very solid, high-performance, and affordable product to the market.

SPARTANAT: The CZ assault rifle BREN is introduced in the Czech Republic for the army, and is currently being introduced in Hungary. In France, the police special forces GIGN use the BREN. Why BREN? What does the Czech assault rifle offer?

Franz von Stauffenberg: The BREN offers some interesting details. It is available in calibers 5.56x45mm, 7.62x51mm, and 7.62×39mm, covering the standard calibers worldwide. Particularly, some police special units demand a caliber that has a large impact on the target without extreme range. This issue is increasingly demanded in urban terrorist situations. The customer can choose at CZ which caliber fits their scenarios. Some customers also change calibers in different scenarios, while the handling of the weapon remains the same. This saves on training costs.

"The BREN meets the requirements of a modern assault rifle."

The BREN meets the requirements of a modern assault rifle. It is made in Europe, and the technology is "ITAR-free," important in Europe, CZ can meet all these demands. Many customers are reassured that the Czech Republic is a member of the EU and NATO. Another aspect is that CZ is a reliable supplier in the government sector in terms of quality, price, and delivery time. This is positively rated by our customers.

SPARTANAT: The CZ factory is located in Uherský Brod, hidden in eastern Czech Republic, but in the center of Central Europe. At what level are firearms manufactured there?

Franz von Stauffenberg: The factory grounds date back to the 1930s and do not give the impression of anything extraordinary from the outside. A factory like many others in Europe. I quickly realized that the outward appearance does not reflect the level of production lines. CZ has an incredible depth and breadth of manufacturing.

In the area of hunting rifles for game, there are many gunsmiths and their own stock factory. The craftsmanship is still very much alive there. I noticed a lot of handcraft and attention to detail. In another location, frames are cast and processed on site. It's a pleasant mix of modern precision manufacturing and traditional craftsmanship.

For sport and government firearms, the most modern machines are used, much of which I had only seen in the automotive industry. The machines are partly assembled by robots. Everything is very clean and relatively quiet.

"UB is a facility that excels in many areas compared to competitors' standards."

The production sections are always complemented by quality controls at the end, as CZ considers it very important that only flawless goods leave the factory. Before the products are finally submitted to the proof house, a strict control is carried out. The Czech proof house tests according to CIP regulations, which are recognized in Europe.

The ratio of delivered goods to defects discovered by the customer is in a very, very good range. The stringent controls prevent CZ from delivering goods that do not meet our standards.

UB is a facility that excels in many areas compared to competitors' standards.

SPARTANAT: Eastern European companies are already playing a significant role in the West. CZ also has a successful presence in the USA. What role should the European government market play for CZ?

Franz von Stauffenberg: The government market in Europe should become another essential foothold for CZ. This ambitious goal will require a lot of time and resources, which are available. Many suppliers focus only on the government or civilian market. CZ has already positioned itself well in all areas, but the focus has been more on our Eastern NATO partners. There, CZ has positioned itself well.

Now it is about adapting the products to the requirements of potential customers and optimizing the interplay of ammunition and suppressors. The demand is growing due to the threat situation, and some "big players" are either a bit far from the customer at the moment or in financial trouble. Other manufacturers have had to accept significant limitations due to the ITAR issue. There are several very good manufacturers in Europe, but we believe that CZ will increasingly establish itself. It is certainly not easy, but in recent years CZ has taken a huge step in the right direction and proved that healthy growth can be achieved through innovation and expertise.

SPARTANAT: Will CZ participate in upcoming tenders in Germany in the near future?

Franz von Stauffenberg: I strongly believe so