Nexter (ex-Giat) bought SNPE-Eurenco (who owns VV) and are still trying to find a purchaser for the VV plant.
On the other hand Nexter feels that the single-base powder market is not big enough for two major manufacturers in Europe (Rottweill - RUAG is the other one, and owns Norma and RWS, beyond many others) and would like to make a deal with their subsidiary Nitrochimie (ex-Nobel owned by Rottweil-RUAG Ammotec) for common work, maybe that will end-up with a share holding in european powder manufacturing facilities.
VithaVuori have lost over 4 millions Euros in 2012, and their market is still going down. Anyhow, I don't see anywhere they will completely cease the manufacture of civilian propellants. While production have been slowed down considerably over the last months, VV still delivers powder (anyways, until the complete shutdown of the plant, in 2014). Nothing is dead yet. Keep fingers crossed.
On the other hand Nexter feels that the single-base powder market is not big enough for two major manufacturers in Europe (Rottweill - RUAG is the other one, and owns Norma and RWS, beyond many others) and would like to make a deal with their subsidiary Nitrochimie (ex-Nobel owned by Rottweil-RUAG Ammotec) for common work, maybe that will end-up with a share holding in european powder manufacturing facilities.
VithaVuori have lost over 4 millions Euros in 2012, and their market is still going down. Anyhow, I don't see anywhere they will completely cease the manufacture of civilian propellants. While production have been slowed down considerably over the last months, VV still delivers powder (anyways, until the complete shutdown of the plant, in 2014). Nothing is dead yet. Keep fingers crossed.
