German satellite manufacturer OHB has committed to purchasing the TechniSat plant in Schöneck, which was slated to close by the end of the year. The company plans to utilize the facility for the mass production of electronic components for space applications.
The TechniSat facility in Schöneck was established in June 1992 and currently employs around 70 people. Among other products, it manufactures digital receivers and digital radios. In July 2025, the company announced that it would close the plant and move production to Poland, with Managing Director Stefan Kön stating, “Unfortunately, the ‘Made in Germany’ factor is often no longer a sufficient incentive to buy if it means higher prices.”
On 31 October, OHB announced that it would acquire the site to expand its electronic component production capacity, a key step in meeting growing demand for satellites for both civilian and military applications. In its announcement, OHB explained that its decision to maintain its manufacturing base in Germany is a “conscious decision aimed at establishing sovereign, national supply chains for critical satellite components.”
“For modern space travel, which primarily consists of satellite constellations, we need to think in terms of entirely new production volumes,” said OHB CEO Marco Fuchs. “This means we need manufacturing expertise. The employees of TechniSat in Schöneck have the know-how to seamlessly transition to serial production for the aerospace industry.”
On 25 September, the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) announced that the country would invest €35 billion in space-related defence projects by 2030. With OHB serving as the prime contractor for many of Germany’s space defence projects, the news sent the company’s stock price soaring from €65.80 to a high of €174.50 in early October, an increase of roughly 165% in less than two weeks.
Although OHB’s share price has since fallen back below the €100 threshold, the announcement of its new electronic component plant in Schöneck prompted a nearly 4% rebound on Friday. However, the uptick was insufficient to offset earlier losses, with the stock closing the week 15% lower overall. While the immediate market reaction was modest, the long-term strategic value of securing a domestic, high-volume production line may prove to be a critical asset in OHB’s future.
Keep European Spaceflight Independent
Your donation will help European Spaceflight to continue digging into the stories others miss. Every euro keeps our reporting alive.
