Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on December 10, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleRheinmetall's CEO is pursuing the acquisition of KNDS NV to consolidate the European defence market, engaging with Berlin politicians and KfW bank.
BERLIN, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Rheinmetall AG Chief Executive Officer Armin Papperger is making a fresh pitch to buy part of rival KNDS NV and create a European land defence company that would consolidate the continent’s fragmented market, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing sources with knowledge of the matter.
Papperger has spoken to politicians in Berlin and representatives of state-owned development bank KfW in recent months about investment options to tie up the two tankmakers, the sources said.
(Reporting by Maria Martinez;Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
Rheinmetall AG is a German automotive and defense company known for its production of military vehicles and munitions, as well as automotive components.
KNDS NV is a European defense company formed by the merger of the French company Nexter and the German company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, specializing in land defense systems.
A land defense company focuses on the development and production of military equipment and technologies designed for ground warfare, including tanks and armored vehicles.
Corporate consolidation refers to the process where companies merge or acquire other companies to enhance operational efficiency, reduce competition, and increase market share.
An investment option is a financial product or asset that investors can choose to invest in, aiming to generate returns or capital appreciation over time.
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