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Key takeaways
- Rheinmetall is investing hundreds of millions of euros in a new logistics centre at Kassel-Calden Airport.
- This facility will speed up the delivery of military vehicles and optimise supply chain efficiency.
- A specialised centre will carry out pioneering work in drone research and trials with unmanned aircraft systems.
Rheinmetall is to invest several hundred million euros in a new technology and logistics facility at Kassel-Calden Airport.
Military vehicles
This initiative, developed in cooperation with the state of Hesse, aims to scale up operations in order to handle an expected sharp increase in contracts for military vehicles from both the German government and international clients. The partnership has been officially formalised by a letter of intent signed on 27 August.
Logistics
The centre, with a floor area of more than 30,000 square metres, is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2027. The airport location was chosen because of the ample space available, existing transport links and the proximity to the company’s current industrial site in Mittelfeld.
By relocating logistics functions, Rheinmetall wants to optimise its supply chain, speed up order processing and reduce heavy freight traffic in the vicinity of the existing plant.
Drones
According to CEO Armin Papperger, this expansion is an essential part of the company’s growth plan for tactical vehicles, particularly in order to better serve the Bundeswehr. In addition to logistics, the site will also house a specialised test centre for drones.
This facility will make use of the airport’s unique environment to research and test new unmanned aircraft systems, with the Minister-President of Hesse, Boris Rhein, noting that the centre will also support military training flights.
Employment
The project is expected to create numerous employment opportunities in administration, technical services and warehouse management. To support this workforce, a new 1,200-square-metre training centre will be built to train staff from various Rheinmetall sites. These developments complement the existing plant in Kassel, where around 2,200 employees are currently working on the production and maintenance of armoured tracked and wheeled vehicles. (fc)
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