The German federal authorities have awarded an order worth approximately €16m ($18.8m) to Rheinmetall to deliver personal protective equipment (PPE).
The equipment will be supplied to Germany’s frontline medical staff and care providers fighting against the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
Under the order, the company will supply respiratory masks of various types, protective suits, goggles and gloves.
Rheinmetall will supply millions of items of medical-grade protective equipment to the German government.
The company has been helping government agencies and public authorities to meet the demand for PPE.
So far, it has delivered 20 truckloads of protective equipment primarily providing FFP-2 respiratory masks and simpler surgical masks.
The company is anticipating PPE sales totalling €100m ($118m) this year.
Rheinmetall AG chairman Armin Papperger said: “We very much appreciate the trust the German authorities have placed in us in this highly sensitive sector.
“Our ability to source large quantities of high-quality PPE under enormous time pressure, provide the necessary certification and handle the complex logistics has clearly impressed our public sector customers.”
Under the framework agreement, Rheinmetall is also supplying smaller amounts of PPE on short notice to meet demand.
In June this year, Rheinmetall delivered protective equipment supplies to a local government authority in North Rhine-Westphalia following an urgent request.
Following the receipt of a request for proposal, the company was able to submit an offer and an order was issued within minutes.
Papperger added: “The feedback from North Rhine-Westphalia on this score has been very positive, by the way. We’re determined to be an efficient partner of the public authorities in this domain, ready to respond at a moment’s notice.”
