Germany's Rheinmetall unveils new plant for artillery ammunition

Rheinmetall, Germany's largest arms manufacturer, inaugurated a new plant for artillery ammunition on Wednesday, as it aims to consolidate its position as the leading Western manufacturer of 155-millimetre shells.

The company plans to gradually increase production of 155-millimetre calibre rounds to up to 350,000 per year by 2027, Rheinmetall chief executive Armin Papperger said at the inauguration ceremony.

The event, in the village of Unterlüss, Lower Saxony, was attended by Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Papperger gave them a tour of the facility.

Here and at other plants where production is being increased, Rheinmetall aims to reach an annual production of 1.5 million rounds by 2027 - approximately double the current amount.

This expansion would solidify the Dusseldorf-based company's position as main supplier of the artillery ammunition needed urgently for the war effort in Ukraine.

Rheinmetall has invested around €500 million ($580 million) in the new facility and a separate plant for rocket motors set to start next year.

Rheinmetall has long been present at its Unterlüss site, where the arms manufacturer already had a relatively small production area for artillery ammunition, as well as other activities, such as the production of the Puma infantry fighting vehicle, and a kilometre-long shooting range.

The demand for such ammunition has surged since the start of the Ukraine war in 2022, and Rheinmetall is one of the key suppliers to Ukraine, as it defends itself against Russian aggression.