South African defence company Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM), part of the Germany-based Rheinmetall Defence group, has reported that it has won a more than R200-million ($13-million) industrial plant engineering contract. The project includes the upgrading of an existing plant and will start as quickly as possible and will be concluded next year. The client is a long-established customer of RDM.

Industrial plant engineering is a portfolio within RDM. It allows the company to enable its customers to manufacture ranges of both ordnance and non-military products safely and effectively. It has executed such projects in more than 30 countries around the world.

“We are highly proud to meet the requirements of many partners worldwide for localisation and the enablement of creating sovereign capabilities,” affirmed RDM CEO Jan-Patrick Helmsen. “This strengthens our relationship and long-term partnerships with our clients worldwide.”

RDM’s plant engineering expertise is world-renowned, and covers the design, manufacture, installation and commissioning of process machinery and turn-key manufacturing plants. More precisely, RDM’s expertise includes energetic, forge, propulsion and loading, assembly and packing plants; the safe disposal of all conventional explosives and ammunition (“demilitarisation solutions”); and ordnance training services and testing facilities. 

The company and North-West University (in Potchefstroom, North-West province) jointly provide internationally recognised accredited courses in explosives engineering. Students are able to earn a Master’s degree at the university. RDM provides dedicated training at its facility at Boskop, just outside Potchefstroom. It also provides on-the-job training for customers, in their home countries.

“From defining the particular need, through design, manufacturing, and installation, to handing over a commissioned and fully-functional plant, RDM can leverage its portfolio of products, coupled with many years of plant building experience to tailor specific solutions to every customer,” assured the company. RDM is 51%-owned by Rheinmetall Defence and 49% by South African State-owned defence group Denel.