Headquartered in Ankara, Türkiye, and with a burgeoning presence in the UK, Nurol Makina is on a mission to fortify European defence capabilities in an era of increasing conflict with its best-in-class armoured vehicles. Emre Akin, Chief Operating Officer, Europe, tells us more.
OVER 40 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE
Driven by increased military spending and a focus on innovation and technological advancement, the European defence industry has experienced significant growth in recent years, particularly due to shifts in the geopolitical landscape.
For instance, EU initiatives like the European Defence Fund (EDF) have ramped up funding, and this year, the European Commission proposed a €150 billion Security Action for Europe (SAFE) loan instrument to bolster the defence capabilities of EU member states.
However, despite this apparent influx of funding, questions remain about whether the authorities managing these programmes are distributing financial support equitably.
“One of my observations regarding some policies declared by EU authorities is that they can be overly restrictive and favour existing market players,” says Emre Akin, Chief Operating Officer, Europe of Nurol Makina, a Turkish defence company with over 40 years of experience.
Nurol Makina, which has generated almost 90 percent of its revenue in recent years from international trade, has been utilising all major subsystems from NATO and EU countries for its armoured vehicles.
Having already demonstrated its export maturity, Nurol Makina anticipates continued participation in European defence markets. With sites across Hungary and, more recently, the UK, the company aims to further increase its utilisation of the European supply chain.
“We invested in the UK because it’s a liberal and welcoming business environment, which creates a win-win situation for both the investor and the host country. In today’s hyper-competitive business world, everyone competes for talented workforces and business know-how.
“We excel in protected mobility solutions and have proven our commercial success in global markets. Here in the UK, we offer our business expertise to grow alongside the British defence ecosystem, and by investing in the country, we demonstrate our confidence in the strength of the UK defence industry and our commitment to being a vibrant member of it,” Akin states.
“I believe it would be beneficial for the entire European defence base to adopt a similarly liberal approach.
“I think EU policies could be more encouraging towards international players from non-EU countries – as long as they’re creating value for the EU, of course. The implications for the defence industrial base caused by the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia underscore the need for this industrial integration,” he adds.
PROTECTIVE MOBILITY SOLUTIONS
A specialist in manufacturing protective mobility solutions and 4×4 armoured vehicles for a wide range of users worldwide, Nurol Makina differentiates itself through its combat-proven superior vehicle performance.
By continuously utilising best-in-class commercial and military hardware systems from NATO and EU countries, its products consistently maintain high quality.
Furthermore, as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) with a full spectrum of capabilities starting from authentic designs, the company is able to offer competitively priced products.
“We generate most of our revenues from international sales because we excel in what we do; all of our 4x4s are developed from our own designs,” Akin confirms.
Having established its first global operation in Hungary in 2021, Nurol Makina subsequently identified the British defence market as an ideal business environment where it can contribute and create value within the existing defence ecosystem through its export capabilities and proven technical and commercial expertise.
The company commenced its activities in the UK three years later at a 120,000-square-foot facility, NMS UK, in Leamington Spa.
“As an export-oriented company, the aim of our UK operations has not just been to provide competitive solutions to the British Army but also to serve export markets,” he tells us.
Meanwhile, the country’s liberal business environment has facilitated a positive start for the company.
“The UK is a very business-friendly environment, and we already feel part of the team in the British defence industrial base,” Akin observes.
As such, Nurol Makina has successfully participated in industry events and conferences across the nation, including Defence IQ’s International Armoured Vehicles Conference (IAVC) in Farnborough and the annual Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) expo in London.
A COMBINED LEGACY
Keen to position itself as an investor creating positive synergies in the UK’s business environment, Akin highlights the many ways in which Nurol Makina will contribute to the British defence sector.
“We’re not a competitor to the existing UK defence industrial base – we’re simply here to increase the engineering and manufacturing work for protective mobility vehicles in the UK. We aim to create positive synergies in terms of job creation and strengthen the broad defence ecosystem needed for the entire product life cycle,” Akin tells us.
On a mission to expand its global presence within a wider defence ecosystem, Nurol Makina has already been in discussions with local companies to model its supply chain.
“We’re benefitting from the engineering and innovation capabilities of the UK and look forward to carrying these services to export markets alongside our products and services,” he explains.
In turn, the company is working on various export programmes that will enhance the UK’s status as an influential exporter of protected mobility vehicles.
“I think NMS UK is going to be a very positive example of how something that initially began as foreign direct investment (FDI) can evolve into a successful, self-sustaining UK business,” Akin reflects.
In service in more than 20 countries and with over 10 years of experience in protected mobility vehicles, the company is proud to showcase its combat-proven 4×4 vehicles in the UK.
“They are competitive, highly reliable vehicles, and we are proud to bring this expertise and know-how to be locally manufactured and enhanced.
“We believe we can further grow our brand value within the UK defence industry and contribute to the nation’s economy. That’s our sincere aim and the source of our excitement about investing in the country,” he adds.
AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE
As it progresses beyond its initial stages of expansion in the UK, Nurol Makina has deployed some of its most highly qualified and educated engineers to work on product development and manufacturing.
The company also proudly collaborates with educational institutions for recruitment purposes, whilst an agreement with the British Armed Forces Covenant encourages the employment of veterans and ex-forces personnel.
When its facility in the UK reaches full capacity, Nurol Makina will employ approximately 150 staff, creating thousands of indirect jobs as well.
“In recognition of the importance of a skilled and highly dedicated workforce, we need to reach young people who have a positive aspiration for self-improvement, contributing to society and the security of their country,” Akin asserts.
He points out that universities and high schools are excellent sources for this kind of talent. As such, the company has made agreements with local universities and educational institutions to promote practical programmes for students, offering them clear insights into the industry and NMS UK’s activities.
“As a people-centric organisation, we always support our team members – especially those who are willing to take initiative – to grow and empower them,” Akin passionately concludes.
LOOKING AHEAD
Going forwards, Nurol Makina aims to meet a range of targets primarily within the UK business environment, the most important of which is its export programme.
“We are in discussions with some major international customers and expect to begin export work and sign international contracts from our NMS UK facility by the end of this year.”
The company is also collaborating with engineering firms to redesign parts of its armoured vehicles, including advanced mission systems.
Additionally, Nurol Makina will continue to participate in local and global defence events such as DSEI 2025 and IAVC 2026. In terms of international events, NMS UK recently took part in the International Defence and Security Exhibition of Spain (FEINDEF) in Madrid and the DSEI Japan Exhibition in Tokyo this May.
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