Rheinmetall will more than double its gunpowder production in Bavaria
The German defense conglomerate Rheinmetall plans to more than double its production of gunpowder for artillery ammunition at its plant in Aschau am Inn, Bavaria.
“Annual production, which currently stands at 1,700 metric tons, is set to rise to 4,200 metric tons,” the company announced during the groundbreaking ceremony.
The investment in the plant’s expansion will total 350 million euros. The number of employees at the plant, operated by Rheinmetall Nitrochemie, a subsidiary of Rheinmetall, is set to increase from 800 to 1,300.
The propellant produced in Aschau is used in propellant charges for artillery shells. The new production facilities are scheduled to begin operations in 2027, and the plant is expected to reach full capacity in 2028.
Overall, as part of the Firepower project, Rheinmetall intends to increase its gunpowder production capacity to 20,000 metric tons per year by 2030. More than one-fifth of this volume will be produced in Aschau.
The products are intended for the Bundeswehr and the armed forces of other NATO countries.
Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder called the future facility “Europe’s largest and most modern gunpowder plant.” “All these weapons, all this ammunition, are not actually meant to be used, but they must demonstrate that we are ready to act if necessary,” said Söder.
Rheinmetall also plans to expand its presence in other regions of Bavaria. Armin Papperger, the group’s CEO, announced the creation of a center of excellence near Munich in the fields of electronics, digitalization, and artificial intelligence, which will employ about 500 people.
This was reported by Die Welt.
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