From Bremen Workshop to Space Pioneer: The 25-Year Transformation of OHB SE

OHB SE marks 25 years on the stock exchange, evolving from a small Bremen firm into a major European aerospace player with €1.2B revenue and key roles in Galileo and planetary defense.

Marking a quarter-century on the stock exchange represents more than an anniversary for OHB SE; it encapsulates a profound corporate evolution. The company has grown from a modest Bremen-based operation with 125 employees and annual revenue of €15 million into a major European aerospace entity. Today, it anticipates revenues approaching €1.2 billion in 2025 and provides employment for nearly 3,800 individuals.

Strategic Acquisitions Fuel Expansion

The initial public offering in 2001—conducted under the name OHB Teledata AG at the time—provided the crucial foundation. A strategic acquisition followed just one year later with the purchase of OHB System AG, which became instrumental in establishing the firm's core space systems business. This move set the stage for OHB to accumulate a portfolio of landmark projects that carry significant weight in Europe's aerospace sector. These include the SAR-Lupe radar reconnaissance system, satellites for the Galileo navigation program, and the Meteosat Third Generation weather satellites.

In a decisive move to consolidate its supply chain, OHB finalized the complete acquisition of MT Aerospace at the end of 2025. This supplier manufactures critical components for the Ariane 6 launch vehicle. Gaining greater control over its value chain is a strategically vital step in the capital-intensive space industry, enhancing vertical integration and operational resilience.

Securing a Niche in Planetary Defense

The company recently secured an €81 million contract from the European Space Agency (ESA) for the RAMSES mission to the asteroid Apophis. This project aims to advance technologies for planetary defense, a specialized niche that is attracting growing international interest and investment.

Throughout this transformation, the founding family has maintained its majority stake in OHB SE. This ownership structure provides long-term strategic consistency but also results in a relatively limited free float—a factor institutional investors typically evaluate when considering a position. Measured against its journey over the past 25 years, OHB has unequivocally cemented its role within the European aerospace landscape.