Rheinmetall has acquired Muni Berka in Südharz to expand its ammunition storage and handling capacity as the company ramps up defense production in Germany.
The move provides Rheinmetall with immediate access to two additional sites in Dietersdorf (Saxony-Anhalt) and Ochtrup (North Rhine-Westphalia), enabling seamless integration without delays or additional investment.
Muni Berka adds expertise in ammunition disassembly and explosives recycling, along with research and development in the field of incendiary solutions.
The company said the takeover is driven by growing ammunition and component production across its network as it meets rising demand by manufacturing up to 1.5 million artillery projectiles annually by 2030.
The acquisition, subject to regulatory approval, has an undisclosed purchase price.
Supporting ‘Strategic Sovereignty’
The expanded storage space provided by Muni Berka’s existing infrastructure will accommodate raw materials such as explosives as well as finished components, including projectiles, fuzes, primers, and propellant modules, with room for over one million 155-millimeter projectiles.
Simultaneously, this increased capacity will support Rheinmetall’s newly established factory in Unterlüß, Lower Saxony, where the company plans to manufacture up to 350,000 artillery shells per year.
These collective sites in the future are also set to store output from Rheinmetall’s operations in Spain, which consists of seven facilities obtained through the purchase of Madrid-based Expal Munitions.
“In order to secure Germany’s strategic sovereignty in the field of ammunition production, we … will primarily ensure the supply of the Bundeswehr,” Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger said.
“By significantly expanding the necessary storage capacities, we are once again investing in the security and defence capabilities of our country and our partner countries.”
