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President Radev in Germany

UPDATED President Rumen Radev Attends Opening of New Rheinmetall Ammunition Plant

Petya Petrova, Nikolay Zabov, BTA special correspondent Elena Savova
President Rumen Radev Attends Opening of New Rheinmetall Ammunition Plant
President Rumen Radev Attends Opening of New Rheinmetall Ammunition Plant
President Rumen Radev (right) talking to Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger, Unterluess, August 27, 2025 (BTA Photo/Nikola Uzunov)
Hamburg, Germany,  
27.08.2025 17:22 | UPDATED 27.08.2025 18:53
 (BTA)

President Rumen Radev participated in the opening of a new high-tech factory of the German defence giant Rheinmetall, following an invitation from the company's CEO Armin Papperger. Radev is in Germany for a two-day visit.

The plant, located in Unterluess, in the German state of Lower Saxony, will produce 155mm NATO-standard artillery shells. According to German media, the investment exceeds EUR 500 million.

In his speech at the opening of the facility, Papperger outlined the company's strategy to create a network of factories in a number of European countries, including Bulgaria. He described these factories as a part of a pan-European defence ecosystem. The CEO expressed hope that an agreement with the Bulgarian authorities will be signed within three weeks.

Earlier this week, it was announced that Rheinmetall will build two factories in Bulgaria - one for gunpowder production and the other for artillery shells, with a total investment of over EUR 1 billion.

The official opening ceremony was also attended by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, and German Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil.

Klingbeil pointed out the ongoing war in Ukraine and the related responsibility to boost security and defence capabilities. He said that Germany is taking on its responsibility within NATO to strengthen Europe's defence capabilities, and he noted the opportunities opened up by the German authorities to finance higher infrastructure and defence spending.

Rutte noted the expansion of the military capabilities and armed forces of Russia and China. He said that Beijing and the Kremlin are producing weapons and military equipment at an incredible pace not just to show off at grand military parades but to secure spheres of influence, to demonstrate power and undermine the rules-based order.

This year, the new plant in Unterluess is expected to produce up to 25,000 shells, with production reaching 350,000 shells per year by 2027. It took 15 months to build the plant. Once it reaches full production capacity, it is expected to become the largest ammunition factory in Europe. According to Rheinmetall, over 500 jobs will be created.

Rheinmetall is one of Europe’s largest defence contractors. In 2024, the company posted a record operating profit of nearly EUR 1.5 billion, marking a 61% increase compared to the previous year.

/DD/

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By 20:31 on 27.08.2025 Today`s news

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