BERLIN – The new CEO of Germany’s second-largest defense company, Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), told the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag that the company wants to play a leading role in consolidating the German and European shipyard industry.
The newspaper said that Oliver Burkhard said, “If the path to becoming a European giant is still too hard, a German champion could be made first.”
Burkhard said that a merger could be made with smaller German competitors like Luerssen and German Naval Yards, for example (GNYK).
After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the German government announced a 100 billion euro fund for the military. Since then, Burkhard said, the company has been adding more capacity.
“We are also looking hard for new places to make things. There are many possible outcomes, “He also said that the company was interested in buying parts of MV Werften, a company that built cruise ships but went bankrupt in January of this year.
