KruppRheinstahl

KruppRheinstahl was a German steel and engineering company that existed from 1925 to 1989. The company was formed after a merger between Rheinstahl AG and the steel division of Friedrich Krupp AG.

Starting in the early 20th century, Rheinstahl AG had become a major player in Germany's steel and engineering industry, with a focus on shipbuilding, locomotive construction, and other industrial sectors. Meanwhile, Friedrich Krupp AG was leading the country in steel production and was an important supplier of arms and military equipment to the German military. During World War I, Krupp's subsidiaries supplied arms and ammunition to the German military.

The combined company, KruppRheinstahl, was officially formed on January 1, 1925, creating one of the largest industrial companies in Germany at the time. The company continued to supply the German military, but the Treaty of Versailles imposed strict limitations on Germany's military production and exports. In the aftermath of World War II, the company faced significant challenges, including the prohibition of arms production and the need to rebuild its operations under occupation by the Allied Powers.

In 1989, KruppRheinstahl underwent further restructuring and divestment, leading to its eventual break-up into individual companies. One major spin-off was Thyssen AG. Today, the remnants of KruppRheinstahl are either non-existent or subsumed under various companies, such as Thyssenkrupp AG, which was formed in the 1990s through the merger of Thyssen AG with Krupp Hüttenwerke, a subsidiary of Krupp.