On May 18, 2021, Nexter inaugurated its new training center - Pyrotraining - at the ammunition site of La Chapelle-Saint-Ursin (Cher, France) in the presence of local authorities. This event was an opportunity to highlight the investments made by Nexter in the fields of technical training and safety.
In the coming weeks, the site of La Chapelle-Saint-Ursin will welcome pyrotechnic training employees in new dedicated buildings. The Nexter Group’s ammunition experts will give their courses in a 150 m2 space divided into several meeting rooms.
The Pyrotraining center relies on innovative teaching tools by working, for example, with mock-ups, prototypes, or with an escape game. Pyrotraining is aimed at all operators, technicians, newcomers and apprentices who need to deepen or perfect their technical knowledge of secondary explosives. Considering the masses of explosives involved, the training courses are mainly focused on safety, ergonomics and good management of chemical products.
Pyrotraining is the second center of this type in the Nexter Group and complements the training provided at the Tarbes site on the use of primary explosives. For Nexter Munitions the launch of Pyrotraining is the culmination of a long-term approach: the training courses promote a culture of safety within the company, which in turn helps to develop the ammunition business. In addition to infrastructure projects, safety represents a recurring investment of 2 million euros per year. Another significant figure is the annual training volume of 16,000 hours at the Bourges and La Chapelle-Saint-Ursin ammunition sites alone.
In the Cher department, more than 550 people work for Nexter Munitions in the design, industrialization and production functions. Today, the site of La Chapelle-Saint-Ursin is continuing to grow and is looking for around 30 operators and technicians. In addition, the site emphasizes the recruitment of future employees through apprenticeships, which represent 5% of the total workforce.
Frantz Caillau, Nexter Munitions Deputy CEO, hailed “an ambitious initiative to improve the key skills of Nexter employees and their safety, which will contribute to the company’s performance”.
Hervé Le Breton, Director of Bourges and La Chapelle-Saint-Ursin ammunition sites, is pleased that “this emblematic project has come into being. These training courses will enable us to pass on our know-how to future generations, who will be able to improve their skills through contact with experienced technicians”.
Nexter, the leading French land defense company and third European player in the ammunition sector is part of the KNDS Group. The scope of its business includes as well the supply of weapon systems and ammunition for air and naval forces. Nexter also provides systems and protection solutions in the field of homeland security.
The group continues to apply its international development policy with 69% of the order intake in 2019 intended for the export market. In France, Nexter is fully committed to meeting the objectives of the SCORPION program, through the upgrade of the Leclerc tank and the development of the VBMR GRIFFON and EBRC JAGUAR vehicles within the temporary business venture between Nexter, Thales and Arquus, as well as the Lightweight VBMR SERVA.
The group’s range of products also includes TITUS® and VBCI armored vehicles, CAESAR® and 105LG1 artillery systems, smart ammunition (BONUS), robots, many equipment, as well as customer service, support and revaluation. KNDS’s 2019 turnover amounted to €2.5 billion.
