GLOBAL BUSINESS: Rheinmetall wins Ukraine artillery contract

30. Jun 2026

(AWP Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of updates by global companies, issued on Tuesday and not separately reported by Alliance News:

----------

Thales SA - Paris-based technology company operating in the defence, aerospace, cyber, and digital markets, and Leonardo Spa - Rome-based defence and aerospace company - Thales Alenia Space joint venture has signed a contract with Es'hailSat, the Qatar Satellite Company, to develop a next-generation satellite. Thales Alenia Space, controlled 67% by Thales and 33% by Leonardo, says the satellite will "offer high-speed broadband connectivity services across Europe, Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East." Thales will be responsible for the design, manufacturing, testing and on-ground delivery of the satellite. "Today's contract is significant for Thales Alenia Space as it recognises our ability to offer an innovative, fully digitalized telecommunications satellite that can be reprogrammed in orbit, along with the capability to integrate hosted payloads serving both commercial and governmental requirements," says Herve Derrey, president and chief executive officer of Thales Alenia Space. The JV posted consolidated revenues of EUR2.36 billion in 2025.

----------

Rheinmetall AG - Dusseldorf-based defence group - Receives artillery ammunition order from Ukraine for its ongoing war effort against the Russian invasion. The order, for 155-millimetre artillery shells and propellant charges, falls "in the high double-digit millions of euros", with the contract set to be completed in 2027. "Rheinmetall continues to invest heavily in expanding the capacity of existing facilities and establishing new production sites in order to meet the growing demand for modern 155-mm projectiles and propellant charges," says the company.

----------

Bureau Veritas SA - Paris-based business consulting and asset management firm - Signs an agreement to sell its Oil & Petrochemicals and Coal Testing and Inspection business. The sale is based on an enterprise value of EUR470 million and will have a positive impact on the company's growth profile. The company attributes its decision to sell to the lower growth rate of this business segment relative to its other businesses. "This transaction will create shareholders value as Bureau Veritas accelerates its planned portfolio pivots towards higher growth and higher margin activities," says Hinda Gharbi, chief executive officer of Bureau Veritas. The final terms of the transaction are still under negotiation, with the company expecting final terms by the end of the first quarter of 2027.

----------

Lonza Group Ltd - Basel, Switzerland-based healthcare contract development and manufacturing company - Announces the expansion of its Visp, Switzerland manufacturing site for pharmaceutical ingredients. "The expansion will establish new commercial-scale capabilities for the manufacture of highly complex and highly potent active pharmaceutical ingredients," says the company. Lonza will also use the site to manufacture antibody-drug conjugates, which it describes as a fast-growing market. "The rapid growth of the ADC market is driving increasing demand for highly complex payload-linkers that require advanced manufacturing capabilities," says Christian Seufert, head of Advanced Synthesis at Lonza. "This investment reflects that commitment by expanding our capacity to support this next generation of therapies and enabling our customers to progress efficiently from development to commercial supply, ultimately helping bring targeted, potentially life-changing treatments to patients."

----------

ArcelorMittal SA - Luxembourg-based steel producer - Completes first tranche of its share buyback programme and begins a second tranche. The first tranche saw the company repurchase 10 million shares at an average price of EUR49.32 per share. Says the company: "As communicated at the launch of the programme, share repurchases are being conducted in tranches through to May 2030. The actual amount of shares to be repurchased in the various tranches will continue to depend on the level of post-dividend free cash flow generated over the period." ArcelorMittal says it is acquiring shares under the programme in order to reduce company share capital and meet employee share programme obligations.

----------

Prysmian Spa - Milan-based telecommunications company - Receives Notice to Proceed for the Cook Strait HVDC link upgrade from Transpower New Zealand. The NTP follows a successful preparation phase by Prysmian as the programme seeks to strengthen New Zealand's energy grid with new transfer infrastructure between the North and South Islands. "The Notice to Proceed represents a key milestone for the Cook Strait project, enabling Prysmian to move into the full delivery phase of this strategically important interconnection," says Raul Gil, Transmission executive vice president of Prysmian. "This project confirms our role as a trusted partner for TSOs worldwide in delivering complex HVDC systems that support energy transition and grid resilience."

----------

By John Robaina, Alliance News reporter

Comments and questions to newsroom [at] alliancenews.com