The submarine and naval ship manufacturer Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) is striving to consolidate the shipyard industry in Germany and Europe and wants to play a leading role in this. “We need consolidation in Europe. As TKMS, we can imagine many forms of partnerships,” said Oliver Burkhard, the new CEO of TKMS, in an interview with WELT AM SONNTAG.
First, however, a solution had to be found for Germany. “If the road to a European giant is still too difficult, a German champion could be formed first with Lürssen or German Naval Yards, for example,” said Burkhard, who is also Chief Human Resources Officer of the TKMS parent company Thyssenkrupp.
Against the background of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine and in view of the 100 billion euro special fund announced by the federal government for the expansion of the Bundeswehr, his company now has to build up additional capacities. “We are also actively looking for new manufacturing locations. There are a whole range of possibilities,” said Burkhard. There are plenty of shipyards on the North and Baltic Seas that are looking for new fields of activity as a result of the crisis in civil shipbuilding.
To this end, TKMS entered the race for a possible purchase of parts of the insolvent MV shipyards in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. “We are interested in the Wismar location,” said CEO Burkhard. “The shipyard would be suitable for any form of additional orders, be it submarines or surface ships.” Now the decision lies with the insolvency administrator and the creditors’ committee.
