Restructuring events
European Restructuring Monitor (ERM)
The restructuring events database contains factsheets with data on large-scale restructuring events reported in the principal national media and company websites in each EU Member State. This database was created in 2002.
Rheinmetall, a German defence company, and VMZ-Sopot, a Bulgarian state-owned arms manufacturer, have established a joint venture to build a gunpowder and ammunition plant in Sopot, Bulgaria. The project will create nearly 1,000 jobs and is intended to produce 155mm artillery shells and modular charge systems. The facility is expected to become operational in November 2026.
The investment is part of a broader European effort to strengthen defence supply chains and support Ukraine. Rheinmetall will hold a 51% stake in the venture, and Bulgaria's participation is financed through loans under the European SAFE mechanism.
Rheinmetall is a leading manufacturer of shells and military equipment. The company employs over 30,000 employees worldwide.
Eurofound (2025), Rheinmetall & VMZ–Sopot, Business expansion in Bulgaria, factsheet number 204290, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://apps.eurofound.europa.eu/restructuring-events/detail/204290.
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