KNDS has transformed more than half of a former Alstom rail factory in the German town of Görlitz into a defense manufacturing site as it ramps up production of armored vehicle components.
Just over a year after acquiring the facility, the Franco-German defense company said it has converted more than half of the plant’s 70,000-square-meter (753,473-square-foot) production area and expects to employ 400 people there by the end of 2026.
The additional production capacity is expected to support deliveries of armored vehicle systems to the German Armed Forces and allied customers as European countries continue investing in defense production.
The company showcased the site’s progress during a visit by Saxony Minister-President Michael Kretschmer, who said “modern industry creates added value, secures skilled jobs, and strengthens our technological capabilities.”
KNDS Deutschland CEO Florian Hohenwarter also unveiled the 40th interior cabin produced in Görlitz for the German Armed Forces’ Protected Transport Vehicle (GTF 3). Workers at the facility manufacture and equip the GTF 3 cabin interiors before sending them to KNDS’ Munich site for painting.
KNDS said the Görlitz plant is already producing hulls and turret housings for the Leopard 2 main battle tank, along with modules for several Boxer armored vehicle variants.
The company is also preparing to begin production of turret housings for the Puma infantry fighting vehicle and hulls for the Boxer wheeled armored vehicle.
European Defense Firms Repurpose Sites
KNDS is not alone in converting existing industrial facilities to meet growing defense demand. Across Europe, manufacturers are reviving former factories to expand production faster than building new plants.
In June, Rheinmetall said it will convert its former Pierburg automotive factory in Berlin to produce casings for 155mm artillery shells, shifting the site from engine-component development to steel projectile-body manufacturing.
Earlier, in March, reports said Volkswagen was in talks with Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems about repurposing its Osnabrück plant to manufacture components for the Iron Dome air defense system.
A year earlier, in March 2025, Dutch industrial group VDL announced that part of its former Nedcar auto factory in Limburg would be converted into a military production hub for companies working on drones and military vehicles.
