Rheinmetall to Build One of Europe's Largest Powder Plants in Bavaria
Rheinmetall's subsidiary Nitrochemie Aschau is undergoing significant expansion with the construction of one of Europe's largest and most modern powder plants. The investment will create several hundred new jobs and double production capacity.
Rheinmetall, a major defense contractor, has commenced construction of one of Europe's largest and most modern powder plants at its Nitrochemie Aschau site in Bavaria.
The new facility is part of Rheinmetall's "Project Firepower" initiative aimed at substantially increasing ammunition production capacity. The foundation stone for the plant was laid in a ceremony attended by Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder and Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Defence Nils Schmid. The project represents an investment of several hundred million euros.
The expansion will increase the Aschau site's footprint from 90 hectares to approximately 110 hectares. The workforce has already grown by 80 percent to over 800 employees since 2022, and the new plant is expected to create several hundred additional jobs, bringing the total to 1,400.
Production is slated to begin gradually from 2027. The current Aschau facility produces around 1,700 tonnes of powder and 300,000 propellant charge modules annually. The expansion aims to more than double this capacity within 24 months, resulting in an additional 2,500 tonnes of powder and over one million propellant charge modules per year, reaching full capacity by 2028.
Officials highlighted the project's importance for enhancing European strategic autonomy and supply chain resilience in the defense sector.