Rheinmetall takes over Hagedorn-NC GmbH, securing the supply chain for propellant production

A corresponding purchase agreement has now been concluded between Rheinmetall and Hagedorn AG, Osnabrück, as the seller. The acquisition is subject to antitrust approval by the relevant authorities.

Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG: “The acquisition helps us to overcome a strategic bottleneck in propellant production. It gives us an important source of raw materials and continues the vertical integration along the entire value chain in the production of ammunition. We look forward to welcoming the approximately 90 employees of Hagedorn NC to the Rheinmetall Corporation and to offering them secure prospects for the future”.

Gerd Hofmann, CEO of Hagedorn AG: “I am very pleased to have found a new owner for Hagedorn-NC in Rheinmetall, which will offer the company new prospects and growth opportunities. I am convinced that both companies will work well together.”

Nitrocellulose is an essential energetic component of propellant powders. These are used, among other things, as propellants for artillery ammunition. Nitrocellulose is produced by reacting cellulose with nitrating acids. Rheinmetall currently produces nitrocellulose at three sites: Wimmis (Switzerland), Murcia (Spain) and Wellington (South Africa). Through this acquisition, the corporation will have an additional site.

Existing customers of Hagedorn-NC GmbH in the civil sector will continue to be supplied for the time being. In the coming months, conversion of production to military-grade nitrocellulose is planned.

This step further strengthens Rheinmetall’s position as a leading supplier of large calibre ammunition within NATO, ensuring a long-term, independent supply of essential components for production. As a system house, Rheinmetall offers the ‘full shot’ from a single source: the projectile, the fuse, the explosive charge and the propellant.