Rheinmetall is repurposing its automotive components factory in Berlin to manufacture 155-millimeter artillery shell casings, expanding the company’s ammunition production capacity.
Previously operated by Rheinmetall’s automotive subsidiary Pierburg, the facility in the Wedding district will transition from producing engine pumps and valves to manufacturing steel bodies for artillery projectiles. According to IG Metall in Berlin, more than 200 workers from the site have already transferred to Rheinmetall’s Weapon and Ammunition division as part of the restructuring.
Operations at the plant will focus on shaping steel billets into shell casings, which will then be transported by rail to other facilities for explosive filling and final assembly. Union officials noted that the conversion is expected to help preserve jobs as the automotive industry faces declining demand, partly linked to broader economic pressures and geopolitical tensions in Europe.
Expanding Ammunition Production
The move comes as Rheinmetall ramps up artillery ammunition output following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The company aims to increase production to 1.1 million 155-mm shells annually by 2027, compared with roughly 100,000 rounds per year before the conflict.
Its main production center remains the Unterlüß Facility, where Rheinmetall is building a new manufacturing complex called “Werk Niedersachsen.” The site is expected to produce up to 350,000 shells each year.
Additional capacity comes from the company’s Spanish subsidiary Expal Systems, which contributes about 300,000 rounds annually. Rheinmetall is also preparing to open a new ammunition facility in Hungary this year, while another production plant is under development in Lithuania.
