History

Colt CZ Group SE (Colt CZ or the Group) was founded in 2013 as CZG - Česká zbrojovka Group SE. However, the history of the members of this international group dates back to 1825, when the merchant Louis Sellier started the production of primers for infantry firearms in a factory in Prague at the request of the Austrian Emperor Francis I. Shortly afterwards, in 1836, on the other side of the Atlantic, Samuel Colt laid the foundations for the iconic American brand of the same name, which is still synonymous with the six-shot revolver. The next major historical milestone came in 1936 when the Česká zbrojovka firearms factory was established in Uherský Brod. The factory was built prior to WWII by the Czechoslovak state with the strategic aim of moving firearms production further away from the German border. It was one of the largest and most modern armaments production facilities in Europe. The factory’s production of a full range of firearms started to develop gradually after WWII, resulting in strong product positioning in the major segments of the firearms market.

In 1997, CZ-USA was established in the United States to handle local distribution, sales and service of firearms. In 2001, René Holeček became one of the two key shareholders of the Group. In 2004, Česká zbrojovka acquired the firearms division of Zbrojovka Brno and, subsequently, it acquired Dan Wesson Firearms through CZ-USA in 2005. In 2014, René Holeček became the controlling majority shareholder of the Group. A year later, in 2015, the Group acquired a majority stake in 4M Systems, which it gradually increased to 100%. 4M Systems supplies tactical equipment. In 2018, the Group acquired a stake in Vibrom, a company specialized in MIM technology. In 2020, the Group acquired a minority stake in Spuhr i Dalby AB, a Swedish manufacturer of optical mounting solutions for firearms. 

The same year, the Group completed public offering of its shares on the Prague Stock Exchange. In May 2021, the Group acquired a 100% stake in Colt Holding Company LLC, the parent company of the US arms manufacturer Colt, as well as its Canadian subsidiary Colt Canada. The acquisition of 100% stake in Spuhr i Dalby was completed in October 2022.

In April 2022, the Group changed its name from CZG - Česká zbrojovka Group SE to Colt CZ Group SE to reflect the expansion and integration of the Group and to emphasize the importance of both key brands, Colt and CZ (Česká zbrojovka).

In June 2023, the Group acquired 100% stake in swissAA Holding AG, a manufacturer of ammunition and technologies for the armed forces, which specialises in in small caliber ammunition and 40 mm grenade launcher ammunition. Therefore, Colt CZ Group has expanded into the ammunition manufacturing segment.

In December 2023, the Group announced the acquisition of Sellier & Bellot which is a traditional Czech manufacturer of small caliber ammunition and which is one of the world's oldest companies in the ammunition and defense industry. The company's production portfolio includes a wide range of hunting and sporting ammunition. The production portfolio Sellier & Bellot is also a major supplier of ammunition to the military and law enforcement customers around the world. The acquisition was completed in May 2024 and CBC Europe S.à r.l., the previous owner of Sellier & Bellot, gained a 27.71% stake in the share capital of the Group.