Jacinto to invest €3 million in defence vehicle unit

Portuguese special vehicles maker Jacinto is investing €3 million in a new production unit for its newly created Jacinto Defense business, as it targets export markets for ballistic-protected defence vehicles and unmanned ground vehicles.

The first phase of the new industrial site, covering about 4,000 square metres, is expected to be ready to start operating by the end of the first quarter of 2027, co-CEO Jacinto Reis told ECO/eRadar. He said the new facilities will be fully dedicated to defence production, focusing on ballistic-protected vehicles and the industrialisation of UGVs.

Jacinto, which already makes special vehicles for firefighting, civil protection, emergency and other critical missions, said the defence unit is a “natural step” after years of activity in related security and defence segments. Reis said the company wants to build its own product offering and expand through local partners, specialised distributors and industrial alliances, with priority markets including Portugal, the rest of Europe, NATO countries, Latin America, Portuguese-speaking countries and Africa.

Defence still accounts for only a limited share of Jacinto’s overall revenue, according to the company, but Reis said it has strong growth potential given the current geopolitical backdrop and rising military investment by multiple countries. Jacinto employs about 180 people and exports to dozens of countries across Europe, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East.

The defence push is part of a broader reorganisation of the group, which recently created a holding structure to support the growth of its different business units. After reporting turnover of around €40 million last year, Jacinto expects to post higher revenue again this year, supported by international expansion, product diversification and a stronger order book.

Originally published at Eco.pt