The German defense manufacturer Rheinmetall has begun transforming its automotive parts factory in Berlin into a facility dedicated to producing artillery shell casings. The factory was previously managed by Pierburg and focused on developing engine pumps and valve components for the automotive industry. Under the new plan, the plant will shift toward manufacturing steel bodies used in 155-millimeter artillery shells. As part of the transition, more than 200 employees have already moved from the automotive division into Rheinmetall’s Waffe Munition segment. Their work will include forming steel billets into shell casings, which will then be transported by rail to other manufacturing facilities where explosives will be added and the shells will undergo final assembly. According to representatives from IG Metall, the conversion may help stabilize jobs at the site as the European automotive sector continues to face declining orders and market uncertainty. The expansion reflects increasing global demand for artillery ammunition following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Rheinmetall is aiming to significantly boost its ammunition production capacity over the next several years. The company plans to produce around 1.1 million 155-millimeter artillery shells annually by 2027, compared with roughly 100,000 rounds produced each year before the conflict. Rheinmetall’s main production center remains in Unterlüß in Lower Saxony, where the company has invested in a new production complex known as Werk Niedersachsen. That facility is expected to manufacture up to 350,000 shells annually once fully operational. Additional production will come from the company’s Spanish subsidiary Expal, which is expected to contribute around 300,000 rounds each year. Rheinmetall is also expanding its manufacturing network internationally by opening a new ammunition plant in Hungary and developing another facility in Lithuania to strengthen Europe’s defense supply chain.
