Brampton-based armoured car maker to develop vehicles for NATO under new deal

An armoured vehicle manufacturer in Brampton that’s supplied military equipment to Ukraine and the U.S. will start filling orders for NATO.

One of the largest manufacturers of smart armoured vehicles in North America, Brampton-based Roshel Inc. has a $65-million manufacturing plant in the city where it builds products including the Senator.

The vehicle can support weapons systems including a 7.62 mm machine gun, and can also be equipped with mine-resistant technology that can withstand up to a 6 kg explosive.

Roshel says some 2,500 Senators have been sent in support of Ukraine since 2022, but the company has also come under fire from activist group World Beyond War Canada for its sale of at least 20 Senator vehicles to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) amid escalating violence and clashes with the public on American streets.

On Tuesday, Roshel says it signed a memorandum of understanding with German manufacturer Daimler Truck AG “to jointly develop, produce, market, and support a family of protected and armoured military vehicles for NATO, allied, and partner-nation customers.”

The MOU will see Daimler and Roshel intend to cooperate on protected and armoured vehicle programs across NATO, European, North American, and allied markets, Roshel said in a release.

Roshel’s role in the partnership will be “anchored in its armoured vehicle design, production, and integration capabilities,” including ballistic steel processing and armoured plate fabrication, the company says.

The partnership is expected to draw on vehicles under Daimler’s umbrella, including the FGA Platform Family (suitable for armoured personnel carriers, counter-drone systems, and mobile command-and-control configurations), the Arocs/Arocs 8×8 Tactical Truck (a heavy-lift and strategic mobility platform) and the Unimog (an off-road platform that can support specialized roles, including engineering support and medical evacuation).

“By bringing together Roshel’s proven protection systems, integrated manufacturing, and ability to deliver at scale with Daimler Truck’s world-class platforms, engineering experience, and global reach, we are creating a stronger and more complete offering for allied customers,” Roshel CEO Roman Shimonov said. “It is built to move quickly, built to scale, and built to protect the people who protect us.”

Roshel’s Senator vehicles were seen being used by ICE following the death of Alex Pretti, a nurse at a veteran’s hospital who was shot dead by ICE agents in January while trying to provide aid to another protester.

World Beyond War held a protest outside Roshel to connect with workers at shift-change while “highlighting Roshel’s complicity” in global conflicts, one attendee told INsauga.com after the demonstration.