Huta Częstochowa is strengthening its position in the Polish defense industry

The Polish steel mill Huta Częstochowa is strengthening its position in the Polish defense industry. This was announced by Adrian Senicki, president of Huta Częstochowa and vice president of Węglokoks, during a panel discussion at the European Economic Congress, according to Bankier.pl.

According to him, since Węglokoks resumed operations at the plant (January 2025), Huta Częstochowa has produced 500,000 tons of steel, with 22–24% of the output already being exported.

The steel mill is also introducing new products and, to a certain extent, becoming part of the local supply chain.

The Polish government’s acquisition of Huta Częstochowa was the first instance in which Article 311 of the Bankruptcy Law was applied (the country’s Ministry of Defense exercised its preemptive right). The procedure took longer than expected, but the process is now nearing completion.

Senicki acknowledged that the defense industry saved the company, and it is in this segment that the steelworks is seeking the highest margins. Recently, Huta Częstochowa received a license from the Ministry of the Interior to manufacture and sell products and technologies for military and police use.

On this basis, the plant will independently manufacture products subject to licensing—until now, it has produced components for further processing. This volume will grow, reaching 5–7% of total production.

“We have already produced several new grades of steel, including ones with enhanced durability for the shipbuilding industry, and in the future—specifically for the needs of the navy. I expect there will be many more such products where we will have to develop something new to meet our customers’ requests,” he noted.

Given global overcapacity, Adrian Senicki noted, the steel mill is trying to find its own solutions. He also expressed the view that protection of the EU market will be effective to the extent that it is simple, strict, and without any exceptions.

Huta Czestochowa is Poland’s largest producer of heavy plate for the machine-building, shipbuilding, construction, mining, and energy sectors. In November 2024, the bankrupt company was leased by Węglokoks. In December 2025, the Ministry of National Defense purchased the asset for 253.8 million zlotys and transferred it to the Military Property Agency. In April 2026, the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) received an application to establish a joint venture between Węglokoks and the Polish Military Agency based at the steelworks.

As a reminder, in 2026, Huta Częstochowa planned to reach a steel production level of 0.5 million tons.