Sloboda ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Слобода, Sloboda) is a Serbian ammunition and manufacturing company founded in 1948. Its headquarters is in

Čačak Čačak ( sr-Cyrl, Чачак, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Moravica District in central Serbia. It is located in the West Morava Valley. According to the 2022 census, the city itself has a population ...

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

. With around 2,000 employees, it is one of the largest enterprises in Čačak and

Moravica District The Moravica District (, ) is one of administrative districts of Serbia. It is located in the central and southwestern parts of Serbia. According to the 2022 census, the district has a population of 189,281 inhabitants. The administrative center ...

History

Sloboda was established in 1948 by the Yugoslav government. In Socialist

Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...

, it was one of the largest enterprises in the country, having around 7,000 employees. It manufactured a variety of products, for military use and for home appliances. The production was greatly reduced during the 1990s

breakup of Yugoslavia After a period of political and economic crisis in the 1980s, the constituent republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia split apart in the early 1990s. Unresolved issues from the breakup caused a series of inter-ethnic Yugoslav ...

, when Western countries imposed sanctions on

Serbia and Montenegro The State Union of Serbia and Montenegro or simply Serbia and Montenegro, known until 2003 as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and commonly referred to as FR Yugoslavia (FRY) or simply Yugoslavia, was a country in Southeast Europe locate ...

. During the 1999

NATO bombing of Yugoslavia The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) carried out an aerial bombing campaign against the Serbia and Montenegro, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The air strikes lasted from 24 March 1999 to 10 June 1999. The bombing ...

, the company's facilities were several times bombed. In 2016, one of its destroyed facilities was reconstructed and put into operation. In November 2017, former prominent company's subsidiary "Sloboda aparati" (home appliances), finally transferred its facilities to Sloboda Čačak (military ammunition). During 2017, the Government of Serbia invested two million euros in company's modernization, for the needs of defense industry. From 2010 to 2017, 30 million euros has been invested in company's facility. As of 2017, the company has around 2,300 employees and new contracts worth 150 million euros. In May 2018, the Serbian Minister of Defence announced further investments over the next three years. In 2018, the company celebrated its 70-year anniversary.

Products

Sloboda manufactures different types of ammunition and RPG-s. Among them are: * M79 Osa *

M80 Zolja The M80 Zolja (from ) is a portable one-shot disposable 64 mm unguided anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade, designed in the former Yugoslavia. The M80 Zolja is still produced in Serbia and in North Macedonia. Description Constructed from fib ...

* M90 Stršljen * 100mm, 125mm Tank ammunition * 20, 23, 30, 37, 40 and 57mm caliber ammunition * 76, 100, 105, 122, 152, 155mm artillery ammunition

Incidents

On 12 January 2010, one employee was hurt after explosion in pyrotechnics department of the factory. On 27 December 2010, there were series of explosions in pyrotechnics department, however nobody was injured. On 1 July 2013, two employees were injured in an explosion in a production line. On 4 June 2021 (in early morning around 1:30 AM), there were series of explosions in an ammunition depot, which caused a huge fire. Several workers and nearby residents were evacuated, but no injuries have been reported. On 19 June 2021 (in the afternoon around 8 PM) there was one big explosion at gunpowder depot; three employees were hurt.

Gallery

File:Sloboda fair.jpg, Sloboda products File:Sloboda poster.jpg, Advertising poster File:Sloboda vacuum cleaner.jpg, Vacuum cleaner File:Sloboda stove.jpg, Sloboda stoves File:Sloboda hot plate.jpg, Hot plates File:Sloboda air conditioner.jpg, Sloboda air conditioner

References

External links