Rheinmetall AG is a German automotive and defence company with factories in Düsseldorf, Kassel and Unterlüß. The company has a long tradition of making guns and artillery pieces. The company is also involved in a variety of advanced metal-working and milling technologies, allowing it to provide special high-quality components for small arms in addition to heavy weapon production.
It was founded as Rheinische Metallwaren- und Maschinenfabrik Aktiengesellschaft in 1889 by Heinrich Ehrhardt.
After WWII the company was named VEB Rheinmetall Büromachinenwerk-Sömmerda, (Thüringen, East Germany) as a manufacturer of business machines (adding machines, typewriters etc) , engines for motorbikes and cameras.
Today the product range is similar, even what it comes to cameras. Even though the cameras manufactured by Rheinmetall are now only for the military purposes.
After WWII they made or perhaps rather assembled cameras like the Exa Rheinmetall, and Rheinmetall Weltax. The reason was the high demand for cameras and to increase production thus a part of the manufacturing was shifted to VEB Rheinmetall from Welta and Ihagee factories. They also made their own brand cameras.