Paris. 20 May 2021. On May 18, 2021, Nexter inaugurated its new training center – Pyrotraining – at the ammunition site of La Chapelle-Saint-Ursin (Cher) 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-SaintUrsin 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, hails “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.
