The German defense company Rheinmetall AG has agreed to build an artillery shell production plant in Bulgaria. The announcement was published on the company’s website on Tuesday, October 28.
Rheinmetall signed an agreement with the Vazov Machine-Building Plant (VMZ) in the city of Sopot, Central Bulgaria. The two companies will create a joint venture, with 51% owned by the German side and 49% by the Bulgarian side. The total investment in the new enterprise will amount to around €1 billion, creating approximately 1,000 jobs. The plant is expected to produce about 100,000 artillery shells annually, approximately 150,000 charges for them, and 1,300 tons of gunpowder. Production is planned to start in 2027.
“We are grateful for the Bulgarian government's confidence in our capabilities,’ said Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG. ‘With the new production facility, we are further expanding our leading role as a manufacturer of artillery ammunition to continue supporting the defence capabilities of the European Union and NATO.”
“We are laying the foundation for a partnership that combines Germany’s technological expertise with Bulgaria’s industrial potential to build a safer future for Europe,” said Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov at the signing ceremony, according to the Bulgarian government press release.
