Anticipating a growth in the activity of its South African business, Rheinmetall Waffen Munition (RWM) has teamed with its South African based subsidiary with Denel – Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) to acquire the Laingsdale Engineering company of Cape Town, South Africa, previously a division of Tellumat Pty Ltd. Under the new ownership RWM will have a majority interest of 51% in the new company, with RDM holding the remaining 49% share.
The company provides precision mechanical manufacturing related to fuses, safe-and-arming devices, kinetic energy weapons and a variety of naval applications. Laingsdale Engineering has about 180 employees and had sales in FY 2009 of approximately €10 million. The bulk of Laingsdale Engineering business is currently with RDM. The company expects to see its business volume double from the current figure. “We are excited about this acquisition which will enhance and grow our business in South Africa”, said Norbert Schulze, CEO of RDM. “We have acquired a highly successful company which we have been working with for many years and with great success.” The new skills and capability base it is acquiring in precision mechanical manufacturing will enhance Rheinmetall’s current indigenous ammunition products.
