Rheinmetall opens Telford plant as large gun barrel making returns to Britain

Large calibre gun barrels are being made in the UK again for the first time in two decades, following the opening of a new factory in Telford, BBC News reports. The site, known as the UK Gun Hall, is operated by the German defence company Rheinmetall and has supported 100 jobs.

What the plant will produce

The facility will manufacture barrels and breeches for 120mm and 155mm weapon systems. According to Rheinmetall, these include the RCH 155 and artillery platforms still to come. The company already has a role in the UK's Boxer combat vehicle programme and is carrying out upgrades to the country's Challenger tanks.

Defence secretary Wes Streeting attended the opening on Thursday. He highlighted the speed of the project, noting that the site went from empty to full production in eight months, and presented it as an example of defence spending supporting economic growth and well-paid work.

Workforce and investment

Rheinmetall has recruited specialist staff locally. Before the factory opened, those workers trained at one of the company's sites in Germany, covering precision manufacturing, quality checks and specialist weapons production. The firm says it plans to take on more people as output increases.

Chief executive Armin Papperger described the opening as an "important milestone" for the UK's industrial base. Speaking to BBC Radio Shropshire, he said the company has only one comparable production line, in Germany, and that a heavy order book meant extra capacity was needed. He added that Rheinmetall currently employs 1,300 people in the UK and intends to grow that figure, citing the skills and motivation of the Telford workforce as a reason for choosing the location.

• Location: Telford, Shropshire
• Operator: Rheinmetall
• Jobs supported: 100, with further hiring planned
• Products: barrels and breeches for 120mm and 155mm systems

What it means for business

The opening points to defence manufacturing becoming a more visible part of the UK's industrial landscape, with foreign-owned firms investing in domestic production capacity. For businesses in engineering, precision machining, logistics and skilled recruitment, projects of this kind can create demand for suppliers, services and trained staff in the surrounding region. It also signals that government policy is framing defence work as a route to regional jobs and reindustrialisation, a theme likely to shape future investment decisions in the sector.