Bundeswehr receives safety steel: Ilsenburg starts production!

Bundeswehr receives safety steel: Ilsenburg starts production!

On October 29, 2025, Grobblech GmbH in Ilsenburg, a subsidiary of Salzgitter AG, started producing safety steel for the Bundeswehr. This new production represents an important step in the supply of materials for security-relevant applications, which are important not only in the military sector, but also for money transport vehicles and the protection of banks and embassies. This means that Ilsenburg is positioning itself as an important location in European safety steel production.

The newly developed safety steel is manufactured using a special process. For this purpose, rolled sheets are heated to over 900°C and then quickly quenched to room temperature. This method ensures that the steel acquires the required elastic properties and has high penetration resistance to projectile attacks. Thorsten Gintaut, the site manager, emphasizes that this production is about protecting values ​​and people - not about offensive weapons.

Increasing demand and investment

The demand for armor steel from Ilsenburg has increased, which is not surprising given the security policy developments. Although the quantity produced remains relatively small, the success of the SECURE 500 steel type, which received material approval for the Bundeswehr in the summer of 2025, shows that the market for such specialized products is very popular. Salzgitter AG had already invested heavily in 2016 and put 200 million euros into safety steel production in Ilsenburg.

To expand production capacity, a new shipping hall is being built on the factory premises, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. This hall will enable the Bundeswehr to carry out the quality inspection of the safety steels efficiently and to collect them directly, which makes logistics much easier.

Future outlook

Grobblech GmbH has clear goals in mind. The focus is not only on the German market, but should also be expanded to the European area and the NATO member countries. In times when security in Europe is becoming more and more important, Ilsenburg is positioning itself as a reliable partner in the defense industry. With a good knack for meeting changing demands in the security sector, this could be an important contribution to stability in the region.

It remains to be seen how the new production will have long-term effects and what further developments Grobblech GmbH is aiming for. However, one thing is certain: the economic and security policy framework will be defining factors for the steel industry in Germany in the coming years.