The Turkish defense firm Repkon is expanding its U.S. reach with a new agreement worth $435 million awarded by the U.S. Army through which its subsidiary Repkon USA is set to build a TNT production plant in Kentucky.
The announcement of the deal comes shortly after another agreement through which the company would also set up an artillery shell production plant in the U.S. state of Texas.
Like this Repkon will meet the growing needs of the U.S. defense industry via its American subsidiary, as the firm signed multiple contracts to supply munitions and design explosives for the U.S. military.
Repkon offers innovative solutions in the metal-forming industry, with products in the defense, aviation and space sectors, providing high-precision product solutions for compressing explosive materials. The firm provides services in flowforming, shearforming, cold rotary forging, hot open- and closed-die forging, and hot spinning.
The Russia-Ukraine war heightened international defense industry needs, and as one of the most important suppliers to Ukraine, the U.S. decided to sign a deal with Repkon for the construction of a 155-millimeter artillery shell production plant in Texas.
A contract was recently signed between Repkon’s American subsidiary and the U.S. for $435 million to design, build and commission a TNT explosive production plant in Kentucky for the U.S. military.
The contract was awarded to construct the plant at Graham in Muhlenberg County, about 136 miles (219 kilometers) southwest of Louisville. The project is expected to create about 200 to 250 construction jobs and about 50 permanent jobs, according to a report by The Associated Press (AP).
The new TNT plant in Kentucky is part of the Army’s strategy to ramp up munitions production to ensure the U.S. military has "timely access to essential resources," said Maj. Gen. John T. Reim.
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, a key player in securing the funding, said the new facility in his home state is part of a broader retooling of the U.S. defense industrial base that’s needed to deter adversaries abroad.
The U.S. typically sources the explosives from abroad, but the new production plant will allow the country to make TNT explosives domestically. Trinitrotoluene, or TNT, is used in artillery shells, bombs and grenades.
According to media reports, the new facility is expected to be completed by Nov. 2028, and Trinitrotoluene will be produced in the U.S. for the first time in decades.
Additionally, Repkon acquired French manufacturing plant supplier Bowas Group, specializing in designing and building industrial facilities for producing explosives, gunpowder and more. Bowas’ offerings have strengthened Repkon’s ability to respond to rising demand in the defense industry.