Rheinmetall AG

XMUN:RHM

Business Description

Sector

Industrials

Industry

Aerospace & Defense

Headquarters

Germany DE

Employees

28 815

IPO date

Feb 25, 2008

Rheinmetall AG is a German industrial company best known for making defense equipment for armies and security forces. Its defense business sells armored vehicles, military trucks, weapons systems, ammunition, air defense gear, sensors, and related support services. It also makes automotive parts and systems such as engine components, thermal management, and other parts used by car makers and engine manufacturers.

Its main customers are governments, armed forces, defense ministries, and large vehicle manufacturers. Rheinmetall earns money by designing and manufacturing products, winning long-term supply contracts, and providing maintenance, upgrades, and spare parts. In defense, much of the business comes from public procurement, where customers buy equipment through formal tender and contract processes.

What makes Rheinmetall different is that it sits in two very different industrial markets. The defense side is tied to national security spending and tends to involve long development cycles, strict regulation, and follow-on service work. The automotive side is more of a parts supplier business, where the company sells technical components that are built into other companies’ vehicles and engines.