Diehl Metall and Diehl Defence have jointly inaugurated a new production line for the shells of the DiNa 155mm artillery projectile at the Röthenbach a.d. Pegnitz location.
The facility was established in close cooperation with the Norwegian company Nammo AS. The inauguration was attended by representatives of the state ministries, the Norwegian and German ministries of defence, industry, the Bundeswehr and close cooperation partners.
For the project, which launched in June 2024, an existing production hall was converted on a brownfield basis across some 7,000 square meters.
This enabled pilot-series production to begin in October 2026. The volume of investment lies in the mid double-digit millions of euros. The newly installed production infrastructure encompasses forming, welding, machining, surface treatment and testing technology. The heart of the facility comprises two new forging presses.
In this project, Diehl Metall and Diehl Defence are pooling their manufacturing, technology and systems experience.
Diehl Metall produces the shell bodies for the DiNa round along the entire value chain, contributing its experience in forging, materials technology and industrial series production.
Diehl Defence defines the requirements for quality, functionality and system integration, and integrates the shells into downstream ammunition production. Modern traceability systems ensure complete quality documentation across the entire process chain.
Nammo, which has developed the DiNa round, completes the cooperation through technology transfer and production know-how. The joint venture ARGE DiNa (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Diehl-Nammo) is a trusting cooperation between Diehl and Nammo and has been in place since 2019 with focus on the German market.
"This project thrives on the collaboration between our companies. Diehl Metall, Diehl Defence and Nammo each contribute their respective strengths and share responsibility for delivery. What counts is the coordinated interaction of all partners – across the entire process chain," CEO of Diehl Defence, Helmut Rauch, said.
The starting point for establishing the production line was an order placed in 2024 – the largest ever awarded in the field of artillery ammunition in the history of Diehl Defence. Existing framework agreements enable Germany and other partner nations to call off DiNa 155mm rounds as well as components for a complete ammunition round load.
"We shape industrial change by building on our strengths while forging new paths. The knowledge and experience of our employees provide the foundation for this. With this project we are opening a new chapter for the Röthenbach location and creating prospects for its continued development," CEO of Diehl Metal Forgings (Diehl Metall), Alexander Diehl, said.
The new facility opens up a professional future at the location for the majority of employees previously working in synchronizer-ring production. They are being qualified for their new roles and supplemented by additional skilled personnel. At the same time, existing production capacities continue to be used.
“Delivering the defence capabilities needed for Europe requires a strong defence industrial base and close cooperation across industry. We are proud to support this project and our partnership with Diehl, contributing to increased production capacity and supply security for our customers and allied nations," Nammo AS, President & CEO, Morten Brandtzæg, said.
By pooling manufacturing, technology and systems experience within the Diehl, additional capacity is being created for defence-relevant products in Germany.