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POWDER METAL TECHNOLOGY

Connecting industries: the growing reach of Metal Powder Technology magazine

This issue of Metal Powder Technology brings to a close the first year under our new name. Many readers will recall our rebrand from Powder Metallurgy Review at the start of 2025, a decision driven by a desire to broaden the magazine’s scope at a time of significant transformation across the industry and global economy.

Our aim was to reflect the expanding world of metal powder use, and the response has exceeded expectations. Over the past year, we have explored new markets, reached new audiences, and examined how emerging applications connect with both conventional PM and rapidly developing technologies. A discussion with a senior metal powder executive at last year’s Formnext event in Frankfurt – the leading global gathering for Additive Manufacturing – shaped this direction and prompted us to ask what ‘Powder Metallurgy’ means to people today.

It became clear that, while the term remains central to pressand-sinter, MIM and PM-HIP, it no longer resonates universally. Those working in metal Additive Manufacturing, thermal and surface coating technologies, or magnet production often do not identify with it, even when their use of metal powders could be considered ‘powder metallurgical’.

Metal powders now play key roles not only in these sectors but also in battery production, energy storage systems, and a host of emerging applications – demonstrating the remarkable diversity and momentum of the field.

As we close out our first year as Metal Powder Technology , we remain committed to exploring this broader landscape and connecting established PM technologies with the new industries shaping the future of metal powder applications.

Nick Williams Managing Director

Cover image

Inside Neo’s new sintered magnet plant (Courtesy Neo Performance Materials)

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METAL POWDER

51 Neo Performance Materials inaugurates Estonian magnet plant as Europe strengthens strategic supply chains

The Narva facility marks a defining moment in the reshaping of advanced manufacturing supply chains – from efficiency to resilience, from global to regional. In this article, Emma Lawn and Nick Williams explore how Neo’s investment signals a new industrial era. >>>

63 Metco Industries: Balancing PM innovation, investment discipline and next-generation pressing technology

Visiting the company, Bernard North reports on how Metco’s focus on innovation, process capability, and long-term resilience continues to define its success in a competitive PM industry. >>>

75 Reshoring magnet powder production: Vacuum metallurgy and atomisation for resilient supply chains

As demand for high-performance permanent magnets grows, reshoring magnet powder production has become a strategic priority for advanced manufacturing. Drawing on decades of metallurgical expertise, Aamir Abid, Director of Powder and New Product Development at Retech Systems LLC, a Seco/Warwick company, explains how advances in vacuum melting, strip casting, and plasma gas atomisation are enabling reliable domestic production of rare earth magnet powders, supporting supply-chain resilience and reducing dependence on scarce heavy rare earths. >>>

85 Copper powder premixes for highperformance Powder Metallurgy applications in electric vehicles and renewable energy

As electrified transport and renewable energy systems demand ever-higher electrical efficiency, Powder Metallurgy offers an effective route to produce highperformance copper components with excellent conductivity and dimensional precision. This article explores how optimised copper powder premixes can enhance performance and sustainability in electric vehicle and renewable energy applications. Developed and presented by Alberto Prete, Mirko Nassuato, and Ivan Lorenzon of Pometon S.p.A., the study highlights key advances in formulation, processing, and conductivity optimisation. >>>

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93 Securing the titanium supply chain: How PSI’s COLDMELT programme targets continuous powder production

As Bill Hopkins explains, by increasing throughput, reducing costs, and improving resource efficiency, PSI aims to strengthen supply chain resilience and support the growing demand for titanium powder in Additive Manufacturing (AM) and Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) applications. >>>

POWDER METAL

Formerly PM Review, Metal Powder Technology is the essential international resource for the entire metal powder value chain — from production and processing to applications in PM, hardmetals, PM-HIP, batteries, magnetic materials, coatings, and beyond.

Through our magazine, website, weekly newsletter, social media channels and webinars, we connect industry innovators with a truly global audience.

Our platforms deliver trusted news, in-depth articles, and expert analysis to engineers, designers, researchers, and business leaders worldwide.

• Have industry news to share? Submit it > paul@inovar-communications.com

• Want to showcase your expertise? Pitch a feature article > nick@inovar-communications.com

• Be visible: Ask about advertising opportunities > jon@inovar-communications.com

• Stay connected: Follow us on LinkedIn > www.linkedin.com/company/ metalpowdertechnology

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Making our world more productive

Rio Tinto to close Sorel-Tracy powder production facility

Rio Tinto Iron and Titanium (RTIT) has announced it will permanently close its metal powder plant at the Critical Minerals and Metallurgical Complex in Sorel-Tracy, Canada.

The company said the decision to close the facility was due to a decline in the market for its metal powders. RTIT cited developments in the combustion engine automotive industry and overcapacity among metal powder producers as factors that have put pressure on prices and led to a decline in sales.

The company also said that the ongoing strike by unionised employees at the powder plant, which began in July 2025, has accelerated the decline in sales to a level that no longer ensures the powder plant’s viability.

‘‘The permanent closure of the metal powder plant is a difficult decision, but one that is necessary to ensure the viability and competitiveness of RTIT – Québec Operations, in SorelTracy and Havre-Saint-Pierre,” stated Jean-François Gauthier, Managing Director, RTIT – Québec

Operations. “We acknowledge the impacts of this decision on the employees, clients and community in Sorel-Tracy, and support measures will be put in place to assist them during this transition period.” RTIT mining and port operations in Havre-Saint-Pierre will continue, as well as the titanium dioxide, high-purity iron, steel billet and

scandium oxide production at the Critical Minerals and Metallurgical Complex in Sorel-Tracy, while Rio Tinto is continuing its strategic review of RTIT assets announced in August 2025.

Where possible, the company stated that the metal powder plant will continue to honour its contracts and agreements with customers and suppliers before permanently ceasing operations by the end of 2025. www.riotinto.com

Rio Tinto Iron and Titanium will permanently close its metal powder plant at the Critical Minerals and Metallurgical Complex in Québec (Courtesy Rio Tinto)

Nichols Portland’s $4.7M advanced manufacturing investment in St Marys

Nichols Portland Inc (NPI), Portland, Maine, USA, has reported that it is investing $4.7 million to expand its operations in St Marys, Pennsylvania. This underscores the region’s role in the company’s advanced manufacturing strategy.

The company has moved from its MIM – Ridgway location into a larger technology hub and business showcase in the St Marys Industrial Airport Park on a ten-year lease. The facility also functions as NPI’s corporate headquarters, supporting six manufacturing locations and a global customer base. The expansion is expected to add forty-two new jobs.

NPI received a funding proposal from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), including a $300,000 Pennsylvania First grant and a $76,000 WEDnetPA grant to train its workers. The City of St Marys also received a $614,000 grant through

the Pennsylvania Strategic Investments to Enhance Sites Program (PA SITES) to support this project. These funds are intended to increase gas pressure and expand electric supply.

“We are excited to expand in Elk County, leveraging the expertise and solid workforce that has been the foundation of growth across the entire powder metal industry,” said Thomas Houck, President and CEO of Nichols Portland, Inc.

“With a focus on innovation and technology, we look forward to building NPI’s future in Pennsylvania and beyond to support our global customer base. I would like to recognise our tremendous local partners and contractors who have completed the necessary infrastructure improvements to bring our vision and strategy to a reality.”

“We thank Governor [Shapiro] and his administration for their support in NPI and our community.

Dansk Sintermetal acquired by Bjerrum Juhl Holding

Dansk Sintermetal A/S, headquartered in Haderslev, Denmark, has announced that it is now owned by Bjerrum Juhl Holding ApS. The new owners confirmed that the company will continue operations out of its Sverigesvej production facility, providing stability to its employees and partners.

Anne and Lars Bjerrum Juhl, joint owners of Bjerrum Juhl Holding ApS, have owned several successful businesses in the Haderslev area. In future, Lars Bjerrum Juhl will act as Managing Director (CEO). Anne Bjerrum Juhl will also step into the day-to-day management, primarily focusing on work related to the company’s board of directors and administrative affairs.

”Dansk Sintermetal is a strong and well-incorporated brand,” stated

Lars Bjerrum Juhl. “The company is characterised by long-term customer relations and an impressive position in the market. To us, it is an obvious priority to continue the company and its current activities. Over time, we will, naturally, keep developing and adapting to new customer needs and requirements, and we will work to enhance Dansk Sintermetal’s visibility in the market.”

Former co-owner Hans Olling added, ”It was extremely important to us to ensure that the company remained here, and that the local jobs were secured. The fact that the buyer turned out to be Danish – and a local, to top things off – makes us really happy. We are certain that this will benefit both our employees and our customers greatly.”

NPI has moved from its MIM – Ridgway location into a larger technology hub and business showcase at 286 Piper Road in the St Marys Industrial Airport Park (Courtesy NPI)

This is proof that targeted partnerships between the public and private sectors can create real, sustainable opportunities, especially in manufacturing-driven regions like Elk County,” the company stated on LinkedIn.

Nichols Portland offers advanced manufacturing solutions that include Powder Metallurgy parts production, Metal Injection Moulding, and is a specialist supplier of pump and precision valve solutions.

www.nicholsportland.com

Olling, Hans Olling, Anne Bjerrum Juhl, Lars Bjerrum Juhl, Svend Olling (Courtesy Dansk Sintermetal)

Previous Dansk Sintermetal owners Niels, Hans, and Svend Olling have stepped down from ownership in preparation for retirement. As part of the plan for the transfer of ownership, Hans and Niels Olling will work alongside the new management for a period to make the handover as seamless as possible.

www.sintermetal.dk

From left to right: Niels

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Gevorkyan establishes defence subsidiary, G-FD

Gevorkyan a.s., headquartered in Vlkanová, Slovakia, has established Gevorkyan Force Defense (G-FD), a subsidiary focusing exclusively on the arms industry. The subsidiary is under full management of the parent company. Gevorkyan manufactures parts by conventional Powder Metallurgy routes, Metal Injection Moulding (MIM), and metal Additive Manufacturing.

Gevorkyan has begun implementing the AS9100 standard for aerospace and defence, as well as

ISO 27001 and TISAX cybersecurity standards. G-FD will also implement Allied Quality Assurance Publications (AQAP) 2110 certification. AQAP is a NATO-developed framework for quality assurance systems. AQAP 2110 is a prerequisite for supplying arms to NATO members.

Small-calibre ammunition project in Europe

Building on its experience in the arms industry, Gevorkyan has signed an NDA and is beginning a project

Metalysis expands capacity to meet critical material demand

Metalysis, based in Rotherham, UK, reports it has added two more Gen 2 demonstration units, doubling its capacity to meet increased demand from advanced industries, including electronics, hypersonics, defence, clean energy and space. The new Gen 2 units are housed at the Metalysis Discovery Centre in South Yorkshire.

The expansion supports customers developing next-generation materials and is said to reflect the heightened urgency to secure non-Chinese midstream processing options following ongoing uncertainties surrounding new Chinese export controls on critical minerals and rare earth elements.

“We are delighted to be doubling our Gen 2 units, just seven months after we increased our Gen 1 capacity by 1/3,” stated Nitesh Shah, CEO of Metalysis. “We are seeing increasing demand for our products at the Gen 2 level, sending material to clients for evaluation and qualification into specialist markets, with particular interest from sputtering target manufacturers.”

At the heart of Metalysis’ capability is the patented Metalysis FFC Cambridge electrolysis process, which reduces metal oxides to pure metal or alloy powders in the solid state, using a calcium chloride elec -

trolyte at moderate temperatures, between 650–950 °C. The metal oxide acts as the cathode, and when a voltage is applied between it and the anode, which is typically carbon, oxygen is released from the metal oxide. The oxygen moves toward the anode, leaving a porous metal structure, or metal sponge. The sponge is then crushed, milled, and dried to create a powder. Variations in the anode material are possible depending on the off-gassing being produced.

This process consumes less energy compared to traditional high-temperature melting, avoids hazardous chemicals, and enables precise control over material chemical and physical properties. Unlike multi-stage methods, such as those used in titanium alloy production, the Metalysis process is singlestage, resulting in higher yields, improved efficiency, and a more sustainable manufacturing footprint.

The Gen system provides a scalable platform, from gram-scale R&D (Gen 1) to kilogram-scale demonstration (Gen 2), commercial (Gen 3), and industrial-scale (Gen 4) production. The process is agnostic to oxide composition. As a result, the Gen units are not constrained by product type, allowing Metalysis to

The subsidiary focused on the arms industry (Courtesy Gevorkyan)

with a Western European manufacturer that has been in operation for over a century. Gevorkyan will contribute to the development and production of special components for high-quality ammunition.

www.gevorkyan.sk

support a wide variety of customer applications using the same core technology.

This ability to create unique physical and chemical attributes has seen Metalysis emerge as a global partner to the advanced electronics sectors, semiconductors and capacitors, clean energy, aerospace, hypersonics, space and other advanced manufacturing verticals that require specific novel and innovative materials. These are applications where traditional manufacturers struggle due to inherent limitations in their production processes.

“A range of advanced manufacturing sectors come to Metalysis because of our core suite of products – capacitor grade tantalum, scandium tri-aluminide (Al3Sc), niobium alloys and our ability to create lightweight refractory high entropy alloys, and because clients know that with all the materials that we produce we bring unique and bespoke physical and chemical attributes to the end-material, meaning we are without competition across a range of products. The recent REE controls by the Chinese have accelerated this process as clients require metal feedstocks and midstream processing from outside of China, and this will be the dominant trend across critical materials over the next few years,” concluded Shah.

www.metalysis.com

From powder to power: PM + HIP for nuclear components

From MRO of valves, pipes, and pump casings in current nuclear plants to cost-effective, near-net-shape reactor components for the SMRs of the future. Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) is used to produce powder metallurgy nearnet-shape (PM NNS) parts with properties that challenge wrought material, whilst reducing inspection needs.

By utilising near-net-shape powder metallurgy, manufacturers can go beyond the limits of welded wrought structures. HIP produces isotropic components with multi-material design flexibility, proven in the most demanding nuclear applications.

Learn more about the manufacturing of nuclear components using PM NNS production and HIP in our whitepaper or visit the Knowledge Center on our website.

Download whitepaper

Bodycote and Blykalla to advance HIP for nuclear reactor components

Bodycote plc, headquartered in Macclesfield, Cheshire, UK, has entered a strategic collaboration with Blykalla, Stockholm, Sweden, to evaluate the use of Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) as a manufacturing method for reactor components using Blykalla’s proprietary materials. The goal is to qualify advanced manufacturing routes capable of withstanding the conditions of a lead-cooled reactor environment.

Earlier this year, Blykalla announced a partnership with Swedish metal powder producer Höganäs AB to develop specialised materials and manufacturing processes for Blykalla’s small modular reactor.

Using HIP, a process that combines high temperature and isostatic gas pressure to eliminate porosity and consolidate powders into fully dense parts, will enable

novel geometries and hybrid designs. This makes it particularly well-suited to components exposed to molten lead in next-generation reactors.

“This project brings together complementary strengths,” stated Ian Tough, Market Development Manager at Bodycote. “By combining Blykalla’s innovative reactor materials with our HIP expertise, we can accelerate the development of components that meet the demanding performance requirements of next-generation nuclear. We are proud to contribute to this important step forward in clean, secure energy.”

Blykalla, Sweden’s only developer of advanced small modular reactors, brings more than two decades of research into corrosion-tolerant steels designed for molten lead. Its Swedish Advanced Lead Reactor (SEALER) is a passively safe reactor

designed for commercial power production in a highly compact format. Its fuel is never replaced during operation, which minimises costs related to fuel management. The use of alumina-forming alloys enables the integrity of steel surfaces exposed to liquid lead.

Passive safety is ensured by the removal of decay heat from the core by natural convection of the lead coolant. In the event of a core disruptive accident, volatile fission products are retained in the lead coolant, and no evacuation of persons residing at the site boundary would be required.

“Working with Bodycote allows us to explore more efficient, scalable manufacturing routes for our most critical components,” explained Jacob Stedman, CEO at Blykalla. “Bodycote’s HIP capabilities are a strong match for the material performance demands of our SEALER technology. This collaboration strengthens our ability to build a robust and industrialised European supply chain, for advanced nuclear deployment in Sweden and beyond.”

As part of the collaboration, Bodycote will lead the development and optimisation of HIP processes tailored to Blykalla’s materials, including test canister design, HIP cycle execution, and mechanical property documentation. Blykalla will define material specifications and conduct corrosion and performance testing in molten lead environments. Together, the partners aim to establish HIP as a qualified, production-ready manufacturing method for SEALER components.

www.bodycote.com

www.blykalla.com

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GEVORKYAN, a leading European Powder Metallurgy company, entered the Prague Stock Exchange (PSE) with the highest IPO in its history in June 2022.

The company used its I PO investment of €30 million to:

� lncrease production capacity by extending its manufacturing facilities

W' Ensure energy independence by purchasing nitrogen and hydrogen generators and a new transformer station

W' Purchase machining and laboratory equipment

11' Acquire new customers and orders through acquisitions in Sweden and Poland and actively searching for new ones.

IperionX

secures additional $25M funding to scale US titanium production

IperionX, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, has announced that the US Department of War (DoW), through its Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) programme, has obligated an additional $25 million under IperionX’s previously awarded $47.1 million award.

The additional funding will be applied to scaling up titanium

production and advanced manufacturing capacity at IperionX’s Titanium Manufacturing Campus, enabling output of up to 1,400 metric tonnes per year.

The IBAS programme is designed to reinforce US defence supply chains by fostering a resilient, low-cost, mineral-to-metal titanium platform that reduces reliance on imports and

AMES celebrates 50th anniversary of its Montblanc PM facility

AMES, headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, has celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of its Montblanc Powder Metallurgy production facility, located in

Tarragona, Spain. Established in 1975, the plant specialises in the manufacture of high-precision sintered steel and soft magnetic components.

IAMP begins metal powder production at new VIGA facility in India

Inland Atomize Metal Powder LLP (IAMP), based in Vadodara, Gujarat, India, has begun production of metal powders at its new manufacturing facility. Once fully operational, IAMP expects to produce up to 700 metric tonnes of metal powder annually.

The company uses Vacuum Induction Gas Atomisation (VIGA) and a hydrometallurgy process to produce a wide range of metal powders. Its powder is reported to be suitable for Additive Manu -

facturing, Powder Metallurgy, Metal Injection Moulding (MIM), Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) and other advanced powder-based technologies.

Its VIGA process enables precise control over particle morphology, size distribution, and chemical composition. It is used to produce IAMP’s stainless steel, nickel, tool steel, tin, pre-alloyed and copper alloy powders. Hydrometallurgy is also used to process nickel, cobalt and tungsten.

establishes a secure, uninterrupted domestic source of critical materials.

This latest obligation follows prior tranches of $12.5 million and $5 million, which funded long-lead items for titanium manufacturing equipment and to advance the Titan Critical Minerals Project in Tennessee to shovel-ready status. Total obligations now stand at $42.5 million, with the remaining $4.6 million expected to be obligated by the DoW over the contract term.

www.iperionx.com

As part of the anniversary celebrations, AMES also recognised team members with twenty-five years of service to the company.

The AMES Group was founded in 1951 and manufactures a wide range of sintered metal components. The company has production centres in Spain, Hungary, the USA, and China, and operates a global sales and technical support network that serves over 1,000 customers in more than fifty countries.

“A huge thank you to everyone who made this event memorable, and to all who have contributed to our continued success over the past five decades. Here’s to the next fifty!” the company stated on LinkedIn.

www.ames.group

IAMP’s equipment includes the VIGA 200, a hydrogen reduction furnace, nitrogen system, vibrating screen (sieving machine), blending machine, attritor, and pulveriser machine. Quality control is undertaken via atomic absorption spectrophotometer, particle size distribution by laser diffraction, and Fisher sub-size sieve analysis.

“At Inland Atomize Metal Powder LLP, our mission is to combine metallurgical expertise with cutting-edge atomisation to deliver powders that exceed expectations – ensuring quality assurance, sustainable practices, and unwavering customer trust,“ the company stated.

www.inlandatomizemetalpowder.com

AMES Montblanc plant has celebrated its 50th anniversary (Courtesy AMES)

Continuum debuts high-performance OptiPowder CoCr F75 powder

Continuum Powders, based in Houston, Texas, USA, has announced the commercial availability of its OptiPowder CoCr F75 alloy powder. Known for its strength, corrosion resistance, biocompatibility, and thermal stability, CoCr F75 is a critical material for demanding applications across aerospace, industrial, and medical sectors.

OptiPowder CoCr F75 is produced through the company’s proprietary Melt-to-Powder (M2P) gas atomisation process, which delivers highly spherical particles, low oxygen levels, and flowability for consistent part quality. Continuum’s CoCr powder can be tailored with regard to particle size distributions and powder characteristics to align with the requirements of each modality and OEM platform, enabling it to meet customer specifications across

platforms and technologies such as Laser and Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB or PBF-EB, respectively), Binder Jetting (BJT), and Directed Energy Deposition (DED) Additive Manufacturing processes and Metal Injection Moulding (MIM).

Target applications for F75 include engine turbine components such as nozzles and valves, industrial wear parts, and medical implants such as dental prosthetics and joint replacements.

“CoCr F75 has long been a go-to alloy for critical applications in aerospace and medical industries, but its adoption in Additive Manufacturing has been limited by quality and supply challenges,” said Rizk Ghafari, Chief Operations Officer at Continuum Powders. “By offering a reliable, high-performance F75 powder produced through our sustainable

M2P process, we’re helping manufacturers expand design freedom, improve part performance, and build more resilient supply chains.”

Sunil Badwe, VP, Research & Development at Continuum, “The quality of powder defines the performance of the part. At Continuum, we engineer powders with purpose, tailoring their behaviour to specific applications. Our CoCr F75 powder sets the standard for aerospace and medical use, delivering consistency and reliability where it matters most.”

Continuum Powders’ OptiPowder CoCr F75 is part of the company’s broader portfolio of advanced alloy powders designed to deliver technical excellence with a circular advantage. By transforming reclaimed metal feedstock into high-quality powder, Continuum aims to reduce reliance on virgin raw materials while maintaining high performance standards and cost flexibility.

www.continuumpowders.com

Looking to convert an alloy to powder? At Metal Powder Works, we give you the freedom to work with the materials you need, when you need them, accelerating your path to production.

ASM raises AU$55M to expand rare earth alloy capacity at KMP

Australian Strategic Materials (ASM), headquartered in West Perth, Australia, has received firm commitments for an Institutional Placement to raise approximately AU$55 million before costs, at AU$1.20 per share. New and existing domestic and international institutional investors provided major support, with significant demand reported from US-based entities.

As the US and other allied governments seek to develop critical rare earth material supply chains as a matter of national security, ASM’s posits that its ability to materially ramp up NdFeB alloy output in the near term and meet increasing Western demand presents a compelling investment proposition.

Use of proceeds

The proceeds of the placement are proposed to be used as follows:

• Complete the planned expansion of the Korean Metals Plant to 3,600 tpa of alloy and support ramp-up activities

• Advance additional expansion initiatives (either Phase 3 of the Korean Metals Plant to 5,600 tpa, or contribute to capital costs for establishing an American Metals Plant)

• Pursue strategic partnerships and opportunities aligned with

ASM’s goal of creating an alternative global supply chain for critical minerals

• Repayment of current debt in Korea and corporate costs (such as costs of the placement)

• General working capital

“This strongly supported placement reflects growing global recognition of ASM’s proven capability in downstream rare earth metallisation and our broader mine to metals strategy,” ASM Managing Director, Rowena Smith, commented. “We are now fully funded to execute our Phase 2 ramp-up plan at the Korean Metals Plant (KMP). Completion of Phase 2 expansion activities will double our existing NdFeB alloy capacity to 3,600 tonnes per annum. This increased capacity will enable us to service the growing demand of our existing customers and the increasing number of enquiries we have received in recent months.”

“Over the past six months, we have witnessed a seismic shift in the dynamics of the rare earths market,” she continued. “Geopolitical tensions, trade disputes and tightened export controls have shaken global supply chains – driving governments, manufacturers and investors into action

SK On to increase LFP battery production to meet demand

SK On, the battery manufacturing unit of SK Group based in Seoul, South Korea, has announced it is expanding operations at its SK Battery America plant in Commerce, Georgia. This facility focuses on the electric vehicles (EV) and energy storage system (ESS) markets.

The company is reportedly converting some of its production

lines from the nickel-cobaltmanganese (NCM) cells to lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells. LFP battery production is expected to begin in the second half of 2026. SK On has been actively developing LFP batteries as part of its battery chemistry diversification strategy. It debuted its first LFP battery prototype at InterBattery 2023, followed by

and to seek secure alternative supply chains. In this unpredictable and volatile environment, the KMP represents an established, stable producer of rare earth metals and alloys, and offers a long-term, secure supply of critical materials.”

Smith added, “ASM’s mine-tometals strategy has long recognised the risks associated with current rare earth and critical minerals supply chains, particularly in the downstream processing of these materials. It is why the company made the development of metallisation capability in Korea a strategic priority, and why ASM’s vertically integrated approach is unique across the ASX rare earth mining and processing sector.”

“While ASM’s downstream capability is a key differentiator to our peers, we have long advocated for cross jurisdictional collaboration and partnerships that will enable and strengthen the establishment of alternative global supply chains. I am pleased to note that we are now witnessing broader market recognition that this approach is the right one. With an improving policy environment, we are seeing multiple opportunities to collaborate with government and industry peers to strengthen ASM’s position across the rare earth supply chain,” she concluded. “I would like to welcome our new investors and thank all those who are supporting our opportunity at this pivotal time.”

www.asm-au.com

the introduction of the Winter Pro Battery designed for improved low-temperature performance in 2024 and a long-life LFP battery in 2025.

The transition of these production lines follows SK On’s first major US ESS deal, a four-year agreement with Flatiron Energy Development. Over the course of four years, SK on will provide the company with 7.2 gigawatt-hours (GWhs) of LFP batteries, worth approximately $1.4 billion.

eng.sk-on.com

Brazilian Rare Earths signs ten-year offtake supply deal with Carester

Brazilian Rare Earths (BRE), headquartered in Sydney, Australia, has announced strategic partnerships with Carester SAS, headquartered in Lyon, France. Under the agreement, BRE will supply heavy rare earth feedstocks to Carester for an initial ten-year term. Carester will also provide engineering and technical services for BRE’s planned integrated rare earths separation refinery at the Camaçari Petrochemical Complex in Bahia, Brazil.

The agreements are said to underpin BRE’s strategy to establish Brazil as a leading hub for rare earth production, supplying high-value neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr) oxide, heavy rare earth concentrate (SEG+), separated dysprosium (Dy) and terbium (Tb) oxides and uranium.

BRE’s planned rare earth separation plant in Brazil will be designed to process high-grade feedstock from BRE’s Monte Alto Rare Earths Project, one of the highest-grade rare earth deposits in the world, with exceptional grades of heavy rare earths DyTb, NdPr, niobium, scandium, tantalum and uranium.

BRE’s Managing Director & CEO, Bernardo da Veiga, stated, “This strategic partnership with Carester validates our strategy: accelerate

the development of our high-grade Brazilian rare earth assets, focus on heavy rare earths DyTb where global supply is short, partner with recognised global leaders like Carester to establish Brazil as a leading global hub for rare earth production. Teaming with Carester gives us the technical depth and downstream capacity to rapidly convert our ultrahigh-grade Brazilian rare earths into the vital products customers need.”

Carester President, Frédéric Carencotte, added, “The world-class Rocha da Rocha Rare Earth Province stands out for excellent rare earth enrichment; paired with our Caremag rare earth separation and recycling facility in France, we intend to add a secure rare earth supply chain to produce heavy rare earth DyTb oxides for high-performance permanent magnets.”

Long-term heavy rare earths offtake agreement

BRE’s strategy is to initially produce separated NdPr oxide, heavy rare earth concentrate and uranium yellowcake from an integrated rare earth separation refinery at the Camaçari Petrochemical Complex (~260 km northeast of Monte Alto). Under a binding Offtake Agreement, Carester will purchase heavy rare

Scheftner relaunches under new ownership following insolvency

In August 2025, the newly established Scheftner GmbH, based in Mainz, Germany, commenced operations. The company builds on the core business of the former S&S Scheftner GmbH, which entered insolvency and is moving forward with a new ownership structure. Scheftner specialises in nonprecious dental alloy powders and products and has taken over nearly all of its predecessor’s business activities.

The company’s migrated operational processes have been streamlined in an effort to ensure greater efficiency, transparency, and customer focus. The established range of non-precious dental alloys remains fully available, with strategic inventory expansion prioritised to safeguard supply.

The company’s team also remains in place, though under a new Managing Director. New ownership also provides additional

Carester will process heavy rare earth concentrate from BRE to produce separated heavy rare earth dysprosium and terbium oxides at its new Caremag facility (Courtesy Carester)

earth concentrate at market-linked prices, up to a maximum of 150 tpa of contained DyTb over an initial tenyear term.

Carester plans to process BRE’s heavy rare earth concentrate to produce separated heavy rare earth dysprosium and terbium oxides at its Caremag facility located in France. This rare earth separation and recycling facility is scheduled to commence operations in late2026, with funding support from the French Government, the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) and Iwatani Corporation. With a nameplate production capacity of ~600 tpa of dysprosium and terbium oxides, Caremag aims to become the largest separator of heavy rare earth oxides in the Western world, with ~15% of current global production capacity. www.brazilianrareearths.com www.carester.fr

resources intended to advance product development, strengthen competitiveness, and further enhance market positioning, while preserving the company’s established identity.

“For our customers, this realignment above all means continuity – in quality, product portfolio, trusted contacts, and our high standards of service and support,” stated Dr Mariela Schmitt-Borell, Chief Financial Officer. “We are grateful for the trust placed in us and look forward to building the future together with competence and reliability.”

www.scheftner.dental

Pensana and VAC to establish rare earth supply chain in USA

Pensana Plc, headquartered in London, UK, has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Vacuumschmelze GmbH & Co KG (VAC), Hanau, Germany, a manufacturer of advanced magnetic solutions, rare-earth permanent magnets, and inductive components.

Through its recently commissioned eVAC Magnetics facility in Sumter, South Carolina, USA, VAC is working to play a key role in bolstering rareearth magnet production in the United States, an effort crucial to the country’s national and economic security interests.

Terms of the agreement include:

• A proposed offtake of products from Longonjo, including the clean Mixed Rare Earth Carbonate (MREC), to meet the 2027 deadline restricting the import of Chinese rare-earths; the proposed offtake would be for an initial five-year period, subject to extension and with pricing to be agreed

• Supporting the production by eVAC of 2,000 tonnes per annum of rare earth magnets, rising to 12,000 tonnes per annum by 2029

• Strategic co-operation to strengthen and secure the global rare earth value chain and explore additional joint opportunities

“A new partnership between VAC and Pensana is a leap forward in the fight to strengthen and diversify the Western supply chain for rare-earth minerals, and we are grateful for the Trump Administration’s and the US International Development Finance Corporation’s unwavering support and partnership in this effort,” stated Troy Thacker. “This agreement not only reflects VAC’s commitment to building a complete mine-to-magnet supply chain that will meet the growing demands for rare-earth materials but also illustrates how we will do so in a way that bolsters America’s national and economic security.”

Paul Atherley, chairman, Pensana commented, “We are delighted to be able to work with the eVAC team to establish a major mine to magnet supply chain in the US. The Longonjo mine is one of the world’s largest undeveloped rare earth mines and Vacuumschmelze is a global leader in rare earth permanent magnets.”

“The Longonjo mine is financed, in construction and scheduled for the commencement of production in early 2027 with a twenty-year mine life. We are looking at accelerating this production timeline to late 2026 and

The MoU between Pensana and VAC will see Pensana’s Longonjo mine (above) providing rare-earth earths for the US defence industry (Courtesy Pensana)

have committed to a major exploration programme to expand the resource inventory to meet the future demand for electric vehicle, automation and humanoid robots,” he concluded. www.pensana.co.uk www.vacuumschmelze.com

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Gevorkyan completes Polish defence project, launches in-house composites

Gevorkyan a.s., headquartered in Vlkanová, Slovakia, announced the completion of a project for the Polish defence industry, receipt of a Best Managed Companies in Slovakia award, and the development and launch of in-house composite materials manufacturing.

Polish defence contract

Gevorkyan reported that it has successfully completed a major project for the Polish defence industry, producing a number of products made of composite materials. Thanks to cooperation with the company’s Polish partners, the entire project was said to have been completed in an exceptionally short time.

“We have already implemented several projects specifically for the Polish market and are working on

others. The Polish defence industry is on the rise, and I believe it will be extremely successful in the coming years. We want to be part of it,” stated Artur Gevorkyan.

Best Managed Company award

For the third year in a row, Gevorkyan has won the Best Managed Companies award in Slovakia.

“We are grateful for this prestigious award, which testifies to the vision, courage, and ability of our team to constantly move forward. I am proud to have been part of this story for ten years,” stated Adrii Domin, PhD, Production Director. “We greatly appreciate the trust, time, and effort that the owner of the company has given us, thanks to which a new generation of the company is growing. Today, each of us manages our own department: development, production, quality, construction, automation.”

In-house production of materials Gevorkyan also announced the completion of the first phase of a strategic project for the in-house

Aichelin to acquire Nitrex Heat Treating Solutions and UPC-Marathon

The Aichelin Group, headquartered in Mödling, Austria, is set to acquire the Nitrex Heat Treating Solutions and UPC-Marathon business divisions of Nitrex, a manufacturer of industrial furnaces and advanced nitriding technologies based in Montreal, Canada.

Nitrex’s range of heat-treating solutions and technologies includes its Horizontal Vacuum Furnace series, designed for Metal Injection Moulding (MIM) and sinter-based Additive Manufacturing applications.

This strategic acquisition brings together two complementary portfolios, strengthening Aichelin Group’s position as a global heat treatment solutions provider. By combining Nitrex’s expertise in nitriding furnaces and process technologies

with Aichelin’s extensive technology offering, the combined group will provide a comprehensive range of heat treatment systems, digital solutions, and worldwide service support.

“We are proud to welcome Nitrex into the Aichelin Group. Together, we are shaping the future of industrial heat treatment by combining decades of innovation, trusted brands, and customer-driven solutions,” said Christian Grosspointner, CEO of Aichelin Group. “This acquisition allows us to expand our global technology portfolio and better serve manufacturers with reliable, energyefficient, and digitally connected heat treatment solutions.”

Nitrex services a range of industries, including aerospace,

production of composite materials. Having undergone two years of intensive development, the new material has been designed to meet the stringent requirements of the defence industry.

Gevorkyan said it is now working on developing new components for the defence sector, for which no standard material is currently available.

The in-house production of these new materials is expected to bring significant financial savings, which, the company stated, may translate into profitability and keep EBITDA stable at over 30%.

www.gevorkyan.sk

The Aichelin Group has signed an agreement to acquire Nitrex’s NTS and UPC-Marathon divisions (Courtesy Nitrex)

automotive, energy, and general manufacturing sectors. In addition to its nitriding and vacuum furnaces, the company’s portfolio includes process controls (UPC-Marathon) and QMULUS.ai, enabling customers to optimise performance, efficiency, and cost of ownership.

www.aichelin.com www.nitrex.com

From left: company founder Artur Gevorkyan with production director Andrii Domin (Courtesy Gevorkyan)

● GAS AND ULTRASONIC ATOMIZERS FOR SPHERICAL POWDERS WITHOUT ANY SATELLITES for LPBF, MIM, Binder Jetting and other Additive Manufacturing applications. High purity, sphericity and wide range of reproducible particle size distribution.

● WATER ATOMIZERS FOR MORE IRREGULAR POWDERS ideal for recycling/refining process, press & sinter process and others.

● AIR CLASSIFIERS FOR THE PRECISE SEPARATION OF METAL POWDERS into fine and coarse powder fractions especially in the range < 25 µm

Vulcan and ReElement secure $1.4B to scale US rare earth magnet supply

Vulcan Elements, based in Durham, North Carolina, has announced a $1.4 billion partnership with the United States Government and ReElement Technologies to scale domestic rare earth magnet supply. Under the agreement, Vulcan Elements will build, commission, and operate a 10,000 metric tonne magnet facility in the United States.

Vulcan Elements and ReElement Technologies will scale their 100% vertically-integrated, domestic magnet supply chain, which is already operating today, with a focus on recycling end-of-life magnets and electronic waste.

Vulcan Elements’ expansion

will be financed by a $620 million direct loan from the Department of War’s Office of Strategic Capital, $50 million of federal incentives from the Department of Commerce under the CHIPS and Science Act, and $550 million in private capital.

ReElement Technologies’ expansion of its recycling and processing capabilities will be financed by an $80 million Direct Loan from the Office of Strategic Capital, matched by private capital.

“Our investment in Vulcan Elements will accelerate US production of rare earth magnets for American manufacturers,” stated Secretary of Commerce Howard

Under the partnership, Vulcan Elements will build, commission, and operate a 10,000 tonne magnet facility in the United States (Courtesy Vulcan Elements)

Renishaw qualifies Continuum’s OptiPowder Ni718 superalloy

Continuum Powders, based in Houston, Texas, USA, has announced that its OptiPowder Ni718 is now qualified for use on metal Additive Manufacturing machines from Renishaw, headquartered in Wottonunder-Edge, Gloucestershire, UK.

Ni718 is a nickel-chromiummolybdenum-niobium superalloy known for its machinability before heat treatment and strength after heat treatment. The alloy offers

sustained high-temperature strength, stress rupture strength, cryogenic stability, and oxidation resistance, making it well-suited to advanced manufacturing in demanding environments.

Through extensive evaluation, Renishaw concluded that components made from Continuum’s Ni718 achieved relative densities above 99.75%, with optical densities exceeding 99.9%. It was also

Lutnick. “We are laser-focused on bringing critical mineral and rare earth manufacturing back home, ensuring America’s supply chain is strong, secure and perfectly reliable.”

In August, Vulcan Elements and ReElement Technologies announced a commercial-scale offtake agreement for light and heavy rare earth oxides – the materials necessary to produce rare earth magnets.

Vulcan Elements CEO John Maslin, added, “Now more than ever, we remain focused on execution and performance, so that we can deliver a capability that the nation urgently needs. Vulcan Elements and ReElement Technologies already have a record of strong collaboration, and I look forward to continuing to work together as we move forward into this next phase of our partnership.”

ReElement Technologies CEO Mark Jensen, commented, “ReElement Technologies and Vulcan Elements are natural partners. Our capabilities are innovative and proven. Our teams draw on the best talent across government and industry. And our companies already have a deep record of principles-based collaboration. With support from the United States Government, we are positioned to become a solution that secures America’s fundamental supply chains.”

www.vulcanelements.com www.reelementtech.com

noted that the material offered high mechanical strength, with UTS up to 1340 MPa, yield strength averaging 988 MPa, and elongation break of 22.3%.

Beyond the physical properties, Renishaw also reported that using the Ni718 powder enabled a 99.7% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, as Continuum produces the alloy using 100% recycled materials. It was also said to have reduced material costs by 15% compared to traditional powders.

www.continuumpowders.com www.renishaw.com

USAR acquires LCM to establish mineto-magnet supply chain

USA Rare Earth (USAR), headquartered in Stillwater, Oklahoma, is acquiring Less Common Metals (LCM), based in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, UK. The combination of USAR’s upstream mining rights and resources with LCM’s proven, scalable midstream metal and alloy production is expected to create the first and only true mine-tomagnet supply chain in the West.

The acquisition, supported by a $125 million equity investment into USAR, provides the capital needed to expedite growth plans and expand LCM’s capabilities in the UK and Europe. The combined entity will immediately be positioned as a leading scaled rare earth metal and alloy manufacturer with particular capabilities in samarium, samarium cobalt and neodymium praseodymium metals and alloys, with LCM the only Western manufacturer of critical defence material SmCo.

Going forward, LCM will produce rare earth metals and strip cast alloys as the essential feedstock for USAR’s new 5,000-ton magnet production facility in Stillwater.

“Midstream metal making is the linchpin of the global supply chain, and LCM is the only proven ex-China producer of rare earth metal, alloys, and strip casting at scale,” stated Michael Blitzer, USAR chairman.

LCM also brings the ability to process recycled rare earth oxides. This capability closes the loop, allowing the reuse of end-of-life magnets and manufacturing swarf, leading to a more sustainable process and providing access to alternative, lower-cost feedstock sources.

“We look forward to partnering with USAR to quickly scale our operations and realise our joint ambition to be a leader in the global rare earth industry. Thank you to our employees, partners and customers for your continued support as we embark on this exciting new era,” Less Common Metals said in a statement. www.lesscommonmetals.com www.usare.com

LCM has been acquired by USA Rare Earth (Courtesy Less Common Metals)

Tekna accredited under new NADCAP metal powder standard

Tekna Holding AS, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada, has received accreditation from NADCAP (National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program) for its metal powder manufacturing. Reported to be the first metal powder producer to achieve NADCAP Audit Criteria AC7143, the certificate was officially granted on October 15, following the formal audit completed in August.

About AC7143

The NADCAP Audit Criteria AC7143 define requirements specifically tailored for metallic powder material manufacturing. These include:

• Raw material traceability and certification

Powder production process controls (e.g., atomisation, classification, handling)

• Contamination control and cleanliness protocols

Quality assurance testing and documentation (e.g., particle size, composition, morphology)

• Change control, calibration, and preventive maintenance Audit trail, reporting, and nonconformance management

Standards development

The development of AC7143 was a collaborative initiative involving key aerospace and defence stakeholders,

including BAE Systems, GKN Aerospace, Safran, and the Performance Review Institute (PRI). Since 2023, Tekna has actively participated in development and hosted training sessions for auditors at its Canadian manufacturing facility.

“From day one, we saw this effort not just as an internal quality upgrade, but a contribution to the aerospace and defence supply chain globally,” stated Claude Jean, CEO of Tekna. “By helping to shape the audit criteria, and then demonstrating compliance through our own processes, we believe we are offering reassurance to our customers that our powders meet the most rigorous standards possible.”

The new AC7143 standard aims to establish a global benchmark for quality, traceability, and consistency in powder manufacturing. Its criteria define mandatory practice areas such as traceability, process controls, quality assurance, contamination control, documentation, and equipment maintenance.

Achieving the accreditation included:

1. Auditor training hosted on-site: To ensure consistent interpretation of the new standard, Tekna’s Canadian facility hosted training sessions for NADCAP and OEM auditors,

Stellantis may invest up to $10B in US amid Jeep, Dodge revamp

Stellantis is reportedly planning to invest around $10 billion in the United States, with an additional $5 billion expected to be announced on top of the $5 billion earmarked earlier in the year, according to a report from Bloomberg In July, Stellantis had warned of a €1.5 billion hit from US tariffs

this year, but pledged new vehicle launches in an effort to reconnect with customers as new CEO Antonio Filosa tries to get the automaker back on track. Stellantis is reportedly reintroducing models, including the Jeep Cherokee and RAM trucks, as the discontinuation of these models is believed to

Tekna has received NADCAP accreditation for metal powder production (Courtesy Tekna)

providing direct exposure to real-world metal powder workflows and thereby improving mutual understanding, and validating the audit checklist in practice

2. Internal readiness and mock audits: Throughout 2024–2025, Tekna teams ran internal gap analyses, mock audits, and process refinements to ensure full compliance with AC7143 ahead of the formal audit

3. Formal audit and certification: The auditor team thoroughly examined the powder manufacturing facility, procedural controls, documentation, traceability systems, quality records, etc; after solving two minor non-conformances, Tekna passed the audit

Achieving NADCAP accreditation under AC7143 demonstrates that Tekna’s metal powders now adhere to a high industry standard of quality and traceability from raw materials to final inspection.

www.tekna.com

have contributed to Stellantis’ declining US sales. The carmaker is focused on re-establishing the Jeep brand’s past success and is considering new investments in Dodge, which could result in a new Dodge V8 muscle car and possibly even the Chrysler brand in the long-term.

Bloomberg stated that the announcement of the additional $5 billion investment is expected to be made at a later date.

www.stellantis.com

EOS expands its metal powder range with four new alloys

EOS GmbH, headquartered in Krailling, Germany, has added four new metals to its Additive Manufacturing materials portfolio: EOS FeNi36, EOS NickelAlloy C22, EOS Steel 42CrMo4, and EOS StainlessSteel 316L – 4404. Each material is optimised for the company’s Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB) AM machines.

The new metal powders will further expand the company’s ability to address specialised AM requirements across industries such as aerospace, energy, chemical, automotive, and marine.

“With these additions, we continue to expand our materials portfolio to meet the most demanding industry requirements,” stated Hanna Pirkkalainen, Head of Product, EOS Oy. “Whether it is the unmatched thermal stability of EOS FeNi36, the corrosion resistance of NickelAlloy C22, or the accessibility of widely used steels like 42CrMo4 and 316L-4404, we are enabling our customers to innovate faster, address supply chain challenges, and bring Additive Manufacturing into new applications. Our team is excited to discuss our entire metal materials portfolio at Formnext.”

EOS FeNi36

Designed for aerospace, space, defence, and energy applications, EOS’s new iron-nickel alloy is aimed at applications where precision and stability under fluctuating temperatures are critical. With a low coefficient of thermal expansion (<2 ppm/K between 30–150°C), EOS FeNi36 is said to provide up to 10x lower thermal expansion than alloys such as 316L and MS1.

Typical applications include optical housings, mirror mounts, cryogenic instrument components, optical benches, precision metrology inserts, and small composite tooling inserts. EOS FeNi36 is compatible with the EOS M 290 AM machine and is commercially available now.

EOS NickelAlloy C22

EOS NickelAlloy C22 is said to offer good corrosion resistance, high strength and toughness to applications where contact with biological and chemical media is unavoidable. The alloy is designed for use in chemical processing and food processing, providing manufacturers with a solution for components exposed to highly aggressive environments.

With the new alloy, EOS is extending its portfolio into new fields, enabling broader adoption of AM in chemical industries. The material is initially compatible with EOS M 290 machines.

EOS Steel 42CrMo4

Steel 42CrMo4 is widely used in the automotive industry. This low-alloyed steel is known for its high toughness and strength, making it ideal for components such as gears, crankshafts, and connecting rods.

The use of this cost-effective, industry-standard steel in Additive Manufacturing will enable lightweight design, faster development cycles, and greater supply chain flexibility for engineers. EOS Steel 42CrMo4 is compatible with EOS M 290 machines and is commercially available now.

EOS StainlessSteel 316L-4404

EOS StainlessSteel 316L-4404 is a European industry-standard stainless steel variant that combines high ductility, toughness, strength, and corrosion resistance. Tailored for industries such as chemical processing, food production, water handling, and marine, the alloy delivers good performance at a lower cost.

The new chemistry variant is more industrial-grade than standard EOS 316L while maintaining compatibility with existing

EOS FeNi36 iron-nickel alloy offers unmatched dimensional stability under thermal cycling (Courtesy EOS)

EOS NickelAlloy C22, intended for high strength and extreme corrosion resistance (Courtesy EOS)

EOS Steel 42CrMo4 for mobility and automotive (Courtesy EOS)

EOS StainlessSteel 316L-4404 (Courtesy EOS)

StainlessSteel 316L parameter sets. The material is compatible with a wide range of systems, including EOS M 290, EOS M 400, EOS M 400-4, and EOS M 300-4. www.eos.info

Tyrolit expands to India with new Pune manufacturing facility

Tyrolit, a grinding tools manufacturer headquartered in Schwaz, Austria, has started construction of its first manufacturing facility in Pune, India. The move marks a significant expansion into the Indian and Asian markets and is said to highlight the company’s commitment to local production, technological innovation, and sustainable growth while supporting the “Make in India” initiative.

Tyrolit’s Pune facility will combine advanced European manufacturing with fast, local customer service. Tyrolit will also be able to retip and finish the high-tech grinding wheels locally in India, eliminating the need for costly, inefficient returns to Austria and enabling faster, more effective support for Indian customers and partners. This integrated approach optimises the supply chain by balancing state-of-

the-art European production with responsive, localised support, benefitting both countries’ economies.

The Pune plant will introduce advanced CBN and diamond abrasives, with the aim of delivering both high performance and eco-efficiency. Tyrolit is investing in domestic inventory and building a dedicated technical team to co-develop customised solutions with Indian manufacturers.

Beyond manufacturing, the Pune facility will operate as a technical and training centre. Building on over fifteen years of sales experience from Tyrolit’s Bengaluru subsidiary, the local technical team will conduct on-site trials, process optimisation and provide training to enhance productivity and quality for customers.

“India is a crucial growth market for us. Establishing local manu -

US bans Chinese-origin rare earths in defence contracts by 2027

A new US law prohibits defence contractors from using Chineseorigin rare earth magnets and metals in any weapons system as of January 1, 2027. The Pentagon has reportedly invested hundreds of millions to rebuild domestic rare earth mining and magnet production capabilities to reduce strategic dependence. Contractors failing to comply may face contract termination with potential risks to weapons programmes and national security if alternative supply chains aren’t established.

Starting January 1, 2027, samarium-cobalt magnets, neodymium-iron-boron magnets, tantalum metals/alloys, tungsten powders, and tungsten heavy alloys are barred if any stage of their production, whether that be mining, refining, separation, melting, or fabrication, occurred in China,

Russia, Iran, or North Korea. Every covered contract will include a DFARS compliance clause. Commercial off-the-shelf items are exempt if they are less than 50% restricted material by weight.

The law will reportedly be enforced through contract termination or False Claims Act liability, as the DoD is said to be preparing random spot checks using tools like X-ray fluorescence. If no viable non-Chinese source exists, contractors can apply for waivers, although these are expected to be rare.

Since 2020, the Pentagon has invested hundreds of millions under the Defense Production Act into domestic mining, refining, and magnet-making. However, there are concerns surrounding the US’ readiness. The US has one major mine at Mountain Pass, California, but most of its output currently still travels

Tyrolit has begun construction of its first manufacturing facility in Pune, India (Courtesy Tyrolit)

facturing and a strong technical team enables co-development of tailored grinding solutions, reinforcing our long-term commitment to Indian industry,” said Nilesh Nazre, Managing Director, Tyrolit Grinding Technologies Pvt Ltd.

In terms of output, hot press grinding wheels will be marketed to both India and China, while retipping of CBN wheels will be exclusive to India’s market. The group aims to achieve a double-digit market share in Asia within five years through localised innovation, production and close customer engagement.

www.tyrolit.com

The Pentagon has reportedly invested hundreds of millions to rebuild domestic rare earth mining and magnet production (Courtesy Wikimedia, Tmy350)

to China for refining. There is currently no fully scaled American mine-to-magnet supply chain. MP Materials’ Texas plant reportedly aims to produce 10,000 tonnes annually by 2030, barely half of the US’ demand.

If there is not enough alternative supply by January 2027, programmes could stall. Beijing’s retaliatory export licencing in 2025 already caused weeks-long delays for some manufacturers.

www.war.gov

Hexagon enhances CT-scan software with upgraded porosity analysis tool

Hexagon AB, headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, has announced that version 2025.3 of its VG software incorporates the enhanced version of its Porosity & Inclusion Analysis (PIA) tool that won an iF Design Award earlier this year. Many automotive, aerospace and other manufacturers who use CT-scan-data analysis for quality assurance are reported to be frequent users of this tool.

Supported by AI, the PIA is able to pinpoint and identify discrepancies (e.g. pores and inclusions embedded within metal, plastic or composite parts, components or material samples) from early product development stages through to final manufacturing.

“This is the first time our tool combines all previous methods into a single, powerful solution, from analysis to reporting,” stated Jan Gräser, Product Manager, VG Product

Line, Manufacturing Intelligence Division. “We’ve completely redesigned the user interface for this feature to make it easier for everyone – from beginners to experts – to employ the PIA to understand their results and conduct even the most complex analyses easily, accurately, and efficiently.”

To streamline the use of this latest feature, Hexagon has worked to offer an intuitive design wherein all important settings are immediately visible and summarised, with more advanced options easily accessible on separate tabs. The new preview in the analysis dialogue combines all key information in order to make navigation easier via an interactive ‘minimap’.

All porosity/inclusion analysis procedures have been combined to allow direct access to core functions and eliminate the need to switch between different dialogues.

Other software features include:

Multipart coordinate measurement

Create and modify dimensions directly in the 3D view

Improved deformation field capabilities for optical scans

Enhanced mesh import/export now supports GLB/GLTF, AMF, and 3MF file formats.

“Our goal with the redesigned Porosity & Inclusion Analysis feature, as well as others in version 2025.3, is to streamline the way our users work with our software, helping them make decisions about design and manufacturing parameters faster and more efficiently,” added Dr Daniela Handl, General Manager, VG Manufacturing Intelligence Division. “These robust capabilities will improve workflows and elevate the non-destructive evaluation process for a wide variety of manufacturers who employ 3D CT scanning for quality assurance.”

volumegraphics.hexagon.com

China implements new export controls on rare earth materials and technologies

China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) has announced new export controls on rare earth materials, related products, and associated technologies. The measures were published as MOFCOM Notice No. 61 (2025) and have been approved by the State Council.

According to the notice, the new regulations cover a range of rare earth metals, alloys, magnetic materials, and related manufacturing technologies. Exports of these items will now require specific licences issued under China’s Export Control Law.

Although no new controls for neodymium are listed, neodymium permanent magnet materials that contain terbium or dysprosium, and components that include those magnets, are included in the notice.

The announcement states that the controls are being introduced “to safeguard national security and the national interests.” It emphasises that the scope extends to both goods and technologies related to extraction, refining, alloying, and magnet production that utilise certain rare earth elements.

Linde AMT and Velo3D supply coppernickel powder for US Navy

Velo3D, Inc, Fremont, California, USA, and Linde Advanced Material Technologies Inc, have signed an agreement to supply domestically produced CuNi (70-30 Copper-Nickel) powder in support of the US Navy and the Maritime Industrial Base (MIB) Program. The collaboration aims to provide a fully US-based solution for producing corrosionresistant copper-nickel components used in naval systems.

By leveraging Linde AMT’s Indianapolis-based metal powder facility and Velo3D’s Sapphire XC largeformat AM machine, the partners aim to strengthen national manufacturing resiliency while enabling faster production of key parts for shipbuilding and fleet readiness.

CuNi is widely used in naval systems for its exceptional resistance to seawater corrosion and biofouling, and its mechanical

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strength and durability in harsh marine environments. Its thermal conductivity and ductility make it ideal for shipboard piping, cooling systems, and structural components requiring long-term performance and reliability.

The agreement follows the recent award to Velo3D by the US Navy to develop, qualify, and additively manufacture CuNi components for shipbuilding modernisation. Under this agreement, Velo3D will operate a dedicated Sapphire XC printer using Linde AMT’s US-made CuNi powder to support year-round production, reportedly at no cost to participating Navy and MIB stakeholders.

Andy Shives, Global Director of Sales, shared, “This collaboration with Velo3D ensures a vertically integrated, US-made solution of

Controls can apply to foreignmade goods that contain Chinese-origin controlled rare earths if that content is ≥0.1% of the item’s value. It also applies to foreign-made items produced using specified Chinese rare-earth technologies.

Under the notice, exporters must obtain licences before shipping any controlled items overseas. Applications will be reviewed by MOFCOM and relevant departments on a case-by-case basis. Exports to end users or applications linked to military or weapons-related purposes are expected to be restricted or prohibited.

www.mofcom.gov.cn

powder, printers, and parts all produced domestically.”

“Our Indiana powder facility has completed another atomisation expansion and is primed to scale high-quality powder production to meet current and future defence demands,” Shives added.

Arun Jeldi, CEO of Velo3D, commented, “Partnering with Linde AMT supports our mission to bolster the Navy’s surge capacity and accelerate modernisation.”

“Together, we deliver an agile, secure, and scalable manufacturing solution that aligns with our nation’s defence priorities,” Jeldi continued.

This new agreement aims to enable the Navy to tap into a distributed, scalable additive network, leveraging Linde AMT’s powder capacity and Velo3D’s machine for increased readiness, reduced downtime, and may serve as a model for future agile defence manufacturing, the companies state.

www.velo3d.com

www.linde-amt.com

Amazemet adds AI automation to rePOWDER atomisation

Amazemet, based in Warsaw, Poland, has announced the integration of an advanced artificial intelligence model to fully automate its rePOWDER ultrasonic atomisation machine. The move is intended to address the need for constant, manual supervision of metallurgical processes, often required in industrial and academic R&D. In particular, the company noted the suitability of this upgraded machine for use in high-throughput materials testing facilities.

“In most institutions, it is far easier to buy new equipment than to hire new technical staff,” stated Dr Łukasz Żrodowski, CEO of Amazemet, Adjunct Professor at Carnegie Mellon University. “Amazemet focused its efforts on limiting the time users must commit to atomising novel alloys. Our new AI process control delivers much more autonomy,

allowing researchers to focus on discovery or supervise more devices and processes at the same time.”

The AI model utilises machine vision, processing a live video feed from a welding camera to analyse melt pool characteristics in real-time. It autonomously determines and adjusts torch position, power, and material feeding every 120 milliseconds. According to Amazemet, this continuous optimisation ensures high wettability of the atomised material on the sonotrode, a key element for an efficient process, resulting in the highest possible yield in the desired Particle Size Distribution (PSD).

The AI also controls the ultrasonics, overspray removal, atomisation atmosphere and gas flow.

Amazemet)

Gevorkyan reports 11% revenue growth in first half of 2025

Gevorkyan a.s., headquartered in Vlkanová, Slovakia, has announced selected financial and operating results for the six months ending June 30, 2025, as well as providing updated full-year 2025 and five-year outlooks.

The company reported first-half 2025 revenues were up 11% year-onyear at €42.2 million, with EBITDA

at €13.8 million, a 15% year-on-year growth. The EBITDA margin was 32.7%, a 1.2% increase over the same period in 2024.

The company also reported operating EBIT of €4.6 million in H1 2025, an increase of 12% compared to the same period last year, and profit after tax (PAT) at nearly €3.0 million, representing a 17.9% increase

The integration process

The integration of AI required a comprehensive machine overhaul, centred around a new Advanced Control Cabinet featuring an industrial-grade GPU and high-speed, industrial PLC. Its integration with industrial networks via API enables remote process control and monitoring.

The rePOWDER machine features a new, specially designed and optimised plasma source and connected feedstock feeders to track the quantity of processed material. The machine also features integrated gas recirculation with a passivation system for increased safety.

The AI-integrated rePOWDER was benchmarked using Ti-6Al-4V (Titanium Grade 5) wire, reportedly achieving production rates of up to 0.5 kg/h and a minimum of four hours of unattended processing. Amazemet aims to extend this autonomous operation to eight hours in the next year.

Future development

While Ti-6Al-4V is the benchmark, the company stated that it is already developing autonomous processes for other high-value materials, including NiTi for shape-memory applications and the C-103 (Nb) alloy for high-temperature applications.

Amazement is also developing new feeder systems for bar/ rod, machining chips, and powder feedstocks, further expanding the machine’s autonomy and material flexibility.

www.amazemet.com

compared to the same period in 2024.

Building on its 2025 H1 results, confirmed orders, and expected tailwinds, Gevorkyan projects revenue growth of 11–18% and EBITDA up 15–23% at EBITDA margins around 36%. In the five-year term, the company expects revenue CAGR of 10–16% and EBITDA CAGR of 10–18%, underpinned by its backlog and new contracts in aerospace and defence and other strategic sectors.

www.gevorkyan.sk

Artificial intelligence has been integrated into the company’s new rePOWDER ultrasonic atomiser (Courtesy

JS Link America to invest $223M in rare earth magnet facility in Georgia

It has been reported that JS Link America Inc, a wholly owned US subsidiary of JS Link based in Seoul, South Korea, plans to invest around $223 million to establish a new rare earth permanent magnet manufacturing facility in Columbus, Georgia, USA. The new facility is expected to create more than 520 new jobs.

“JS Link America strengthens Georgia’s role in securing the US supply chain in industries such as aerospace, mobility, and energy,” stated Georgia Governor Brian P Kemp. “We are excited for the continued growth of manufacturing in West Georgia, and congratulations to Columbus-Muscogee County for this opportunity.”

Founded in 2000, JS Link is a biotechnology company that specialises in research and development. The company has expanded its business to include the production of permanent magnets, which are a critical component in a vast array of industries. JS Link is nearing completion on a similar permanent magnet facility in Yesan, Korea, with an anticipated pilot production run in September and an annual capacity of 1,000 tons.

Jun Y Lee, JS Link America Inc’s CEO, shared, “From day one, Georgia’s economic development team, local community leadership in Columbus, and Georgia Power all welcomed JS Link with a pro-business approach. Georgia’s universities with their engineering programs also provide ready-made labour force for JS Link America.”

“JS Link plans to be a part of a value chain focused entirely on Western nations to meet the growing demand for permanent magnets sourced from strategic allies such as Korea. This new chain will cover the entire process, from the procurement of essential rare-earth materials to the final manufacturing of the magnets,” Lee added.

JS Link America Inc’s new manufacturing facility will be located at the Muscogee Technology Park in Columbus. The 12,000 m 2 facility is predicted to have an annual production capacity of 3,000 tons. Operations are expected to begin in late 2027. www.jslink.co.kr

JS Link plans to invest around $223 million to establish a new rare earth permanent magnet manufacturing facility in Columbus, Georgia, USA (Courtesy JS Link)

• Simple, quick set-up • High accuracy • Low scrap rate • Maximal machine utilization

Increased productivity

Stellantis to invest $13B in US plant expansions

Stellantis has announced plans to invest $13 billion over the next four years to expand its presence in the US market and increase its domestic manufacturing footprint. The investment is reportedly the largest in the company’s 100-year US history and is targeted at supporting the launch of five new vehicles in key segments; producing of the all-new four-cylinder engine; and adding more than 5,000 jobs at plants in Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and Indiana.

The new investment will further expand Stellantis’ already significant US footprint, increasing annual finished vehicle production by 50% over current levels. The new product launches will be in addition to a regular cadence of nineteen refreshed products across all US

assembly plants and updated powertrains planned through 2029.

“This investment in the US – the single largest in the company’s history – will drive our growth, strengthen our manufacturing footprint and bring more American jobs to the states we call home,” stated Antonio Filosa, Stellantis CEO and North America COO.

“As we begin our next 100 years, we are putting the customer at the centre of our strategy, expanding our vehicle offerings and giving them the freedom to choose the products they want and love.”

“Accelerating growth in the US has been a top priority since my first day. Success in America is not just good for Stellantis in the US – it makes us stronger everywhere,” Filosa concluded.

MPP and Modal Motors unveil highefficiency motor using soft magnetic composites

Metal Powder Products LLC (MPP), Noblesville, Indiana, USA, has entered into a partnership with Modal Motors, Farmington Hills, Michigan, to combine its motor architecture with MPP’s soft magnetic composites (SMCs). The technology combination is intended to deliver higher torque density, rare-earth optional designs, and scalable US manufacturing.

Modal Motors’ patent-pending architecture is engineered to harness all magnetic flux inside the motor, targeting the highest torque density and full-speed-range efficiency. By eliminating back irons and yokes – which can be major loss sources in conventional designs – the platform is said to boost efficiency and enable materials flexibility, including

Metal Powder Products LLC (MPP) has collaborated with Modal Motors to integrate its patent-pending motor architecture with MPP’s soft magnetic composites (SMCs) (Courtesy MPP)

Illinois: Stellantis will invest over $600 million to reopen the Belvidere Assembly Plant.

Ohio: Nearly $400 million for its Toledo Assembly Complex for the assembly of an all-new midsize truck.

Michigan: The company will invest nearly $100 million to retool the Warren Truck Assembly Plant for an all-new range-extended EV and internal combustion engine large SUV. It also expects to invest $130 million in the Detroit Assembly Complex – Jefferson for production of the next-generation Dodge Durango.

Indiana: Stellantis also confirmed over $100 million for several of its Kokomo facilities to produce the all-new four-cylinder engine, the GMET4 EVO. www.stellantis.com

designs that can eliminate or reduce rare-earth material or aluminium coils.

MPP supplies soft magnetic composite (SMC) stator tips, specifically the SMC stator cap and stator pole wing tip, manufactured using Samoloy 700 3P. SMCs enable 3D flux, disrupt eddy currents, and unlock geometric flexibility where laminations are less efficient.

The laminations in the hybrid stator carry very high B-fields (≥ 2.0 T) in simple 2D flux paths, while the use of SMCs enable the stators to handle 3D flux while reducing losses and enabling complex geometries. The stator is also able to leverage both materials for higher-efficiency and smarter magnetic circuit design.

Modal’s architecture supports cell-based robotic assembly with low capital and low/no-touch labour, scalable as volumes and motor sizes increase. Combined with MPP’s seven US operations, customers gain a resilient, domestic supply chain from materials through assembly.

www.mppinnovation.com www.modalmotors.com

Sentes-BIR achieves ISO 17025 for qualifying metal powders

Sentes-BIR, headquartered in Kemalpaşa, Türkiye, has announced that its quality control laboratory has achieved ISO 17025 accreditation for the characterisation and testing of metal powders. This significant milestone, following a year-long preparation and audit by the company’s quality team, is set to streamline the supply of Additive Manufacturing powders to the demanding aviation industry.

The ISO 17025 standard is an important standard for calibration and testing laboratories globally, demonstrating technical competence and the ability to produce precise and accurate data. For Sentes-BIR, this accreditation underscores its commitment to the highest quality standards, a critical factor for partners in the aerospace

sector where material integrity is paramount. The company already holds AS9100 certification for its powder production.

This new certification is expected to enhance confidence in Sentes-BIR’s extensive range of metal powders, which includes nickel, cobalt, iron, copper, and aluminium-based alloys. These materials are utilised across various applications such as brazing, thermal spray, cladding and a growing focus on AM. The company’s PURESPHERE powder is specifically designed for AM processes like Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB).

To further solidify its position in the market and meet increasing demand, Sentes-BIR is also expanding its powder production

Sentes-BIR has achieved ISO 17025 accreditation for the characterisation and testing of metal powders (Courtesy Sentes-BIR)

capacity. A new vacuum induction gas atomiser (VIGA) is currently being installed and is expected to be operational in the first quarter of 2026. This expansion is intended to significantly increase the company’s ability to produce high-quality, spherical metal powders essential for AM applications.

www.sentes-bir.com

Huacheng Moulding (Changshu) Co., Ltd.

ORNL’s DuAlumin-3D alloy targets hightemperature automotive parts

Scientists at the US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), based in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, are reported to have used DuAlumin-3D for the Additive

Manufacturing of high-temperature automotive components.

The ORNL-developed alloy, with a nominal composition of Al-9Ce-4Ni-0.5Mn-1Zr (wt.%), uses

This automotive piston was additivley manufactured from DuAlumin-3D alloy (Courtesy Amy Smotherman Burgess/ORNL, US Dept. of Energy)

Kittyhawk and UCI partner on HIP of additively manufactured maraging steel

Kittyhawk Inc, headquartered in Garden Grove, California, USA, has highlighted its recent collaboration with researchers from the University of California, Irvine (UCI), USA, to support a project exploring new approaches to advanced manufacturing.

Building on a previous collaboration with Cal Poly Pomona, the students had contacted Kittyhawk to request Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) support for maraging steel samples

produced via Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB) Additive Manufacturing.

Using PBF-LB, the team additively manufactured maraging steel samples with complex internal structures. While the process offers good control, it can also leave behind tiny pores or imperfections that affect the material’s strength. By applying high heat and uniform pressure, the HIP process can refine the material and minimise build defects.

the high cooling rates in Additive Manufacturing to achieve a refined microstructure and thermally stable mechanical properties. It is said to exhibit superior strength and resistance to deformation at elevated temperatures, outperforming traditional alloys that can be prone to cracking during Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB) processing.

This advancement could lead to lighter, stronger components and improve fuel efficiency.

“DuAlumin-3D performed exceptionally well in our evaluations,” said lead ORNL researcher Alex Plotkowski. “While our research focused on its use in high-efficiency engines, it could also be used for lightweighting applications in aerospace and to optimise heat exchangers.”

www.ornl.gov

Application

of Hot Isostatic Pressing

Following the HIP run, UCI reported that the treated samples were nearly free of pores and cracks. The team also noted microstructural changes due to the high processing temperature, which provided insights for future developments.

“Kittyhawk brings proven expertise, advanced technology, and tailored solutions for manufacturers. Their deep experience in minimising defects in 3D-printed parts, combined with well-optimised HIP parameters, made them an ideal partner for this effort. We also greatly appreciated their responsiveness and outstanding service throughout the process,” stated the UCI Report. “The successful integration of AM and HIP in this project may pave the way for scalable production of high-performance alloys for critical applications.”

Kittyhawk added, “Collaborations like these remind us that innovation happens when we work together toward better solutions. We’d like to thank the University of California, Irvine team for reaching out and trusting us with their research. We look forward to seeing where their efforts lead next.”

www.kittyhawkinc.com

The maraging steel pre- and post-HIP (Courtesy Kittyhawk)

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Headmade’s €1.8M funding round led by Jet Ventures

Jet Ventures, based in Brno, Czech Republic, is leading a €1.8 million funding round in Headmade Materials GmbH, headquartered in Wuerzburg, Germany, following its €1 million investment. The remaining €0.8 million was contributed by Matterwave, AM Ventures, and the European Innovation Council (EIC).

Headmade’s Cold Metal Fusion (CMF) technology is a sinter-based Additive Manufacturing process that enables the cost-efficient production of metal parts in large batches. The company plans to use the investment to expand the range of materials for CMF technology and develop new applications in cooperation with customers in Europe and the USA.

“Headmade Materials is an attractive firm for its combination of technological innovation and a business model that enables faster scaling and recurring revenue,” stated Roger Dorsch, Director of Jet Ventures, Jet Investment’s venture capital team. ”CMF technology has the potential to fundamentally transform the production of metal components by making serial 3D printing available to a wider range of industrial companies. We believe that Headmade

Arcast Atomizers are custom built and competitively priced to meet the growing demand to produce high quality, low cost, technically advanced metal powders fulfilling the requirements of today’s pioneering manufacturing processes.

We can supply machines to atomize titanium alloys, super alloys, refractory and reactive metals, and ferrous and non-ferrous alloys in high vacuum purged vessels with inert gas replacement atmospheres.

We have installed machines all over the world, from 1 kg research furnaces to 1000 kg production units.

Jet Ventures has led Headmade’s €1.8 million funding round (Courtesy Headmade)

Materials has the potential to become a major player in the global market and, at the same time, suitably complements the portfolio of our Jet Venture 1 fund.”

“Our latest investment round is a signal of confidence in our technology, strategy and team,” stated Christian Staudigel, CEO and co-founder of Headmade Materials. “The funds raised represent a milestone for us on the path to further growth and expansion of applications that will accelerate the adoption of Cold Metal Fusion technology in the market.”

www.jetinvestment.eu

www.headmade-materials.de

Globus Metal Powders launches POWDER-IQ initiative to reduce waste

Globus Metal Powders Ltd, based in Middlesbrough, UK, has announced the launch of POWDER-IQ (Powder Oversight & Waste-Defence through Realtime In-line Qualification), an Innovate UK-backed initiative.

This six-month feasibility study and demonstrator, which began on October 1, aims to make metal powder processing smarter, cleaner, and more efficient. It will use a low-cost digital retrofit to transform a standard hopper into an intelligent quality gate for Additive Manufacturing and near-net shape production.

Rather than reengineering entire systems, the project introduces a compact, pressure-rated collar between the hopper and discharge cone. This device streams real-time powder metrics to an edge-AI module that compares every trace against qualified reference signatures.

The aim is to flag out-of-spec powder early, reduce scrap, lower energy use and emissions, and enhance control without process disruption.

Globus Metal Powders is collaborating with the Materials Processing Institute (MPI) and other partners on this initiative.

www.globusmetalpowders.com

Metalpine refines powder production for magnet recycling as part of SICAPERMA

The Sustainable Innovation Investment Catapult for Permanent Magnets (SICAPERMA) is a 2.5-year project that launched in October 2024. Co-funded by the European Union’s Interregional Innovation Investments (i3) instrument, SICAPERMA includes a consortium of fourteen partners from seven EU countries. This consortium brings together leading experts with specialised knowledge, regional networks, and industrial connections in their respective fields.

Within SICAPERMA, one of the partners is metal powder producer Metalpine GmbH, headquartered in Graz, Austria. Metalpine reports that it is currently implementing two advanced production routes for recycled magnet powders. The first involves the standard gas atomisation of melts, where recycled magnet

pieces (≤10 mm) are continuously fed into the melt, in order to ensure consistent quality throughout the process. The second route is a wirebased atomisation process, where filaments extruded from crushed particles are re-atomised, allowing precise oxygen control and minimal waste.

Metalpine states that its proprietary gas atomisation technologies help to ensure low energy consumption, thanks to an inert gas recovery system, excellent yield, and the production of high-quality metal powders with exceptional sphericity, purity, and flowability. Its processes allow precise control of particle size distribution through advanced screening and classification technologies, while detailed chemical analysis is performed by external partners.

SICAPERMA covers the whole permanent magnet value chain and brings together fourteen partners from seven EU countries (Courtesy SICAPERMA)

The overall ambition of the SICAPERMA project is to achieve €1.8 billion in revenues, with a net margin of nearly €280 million. The consortium is looking to generate 5,900 direct jobs, address EU resilience, and aid green and digital transitions. A wide range of environmental impacts are expected as a result, among which is 95 million tons of CO 2 savings by 2050. www.metalpine.at www.sicaperma.eu

Spain’s Royal Academy of Engineering inducts Professor José Manuel Torralba

Professor José Manuel Torralba, Senior Researcher and former Director of the IMDEA Materials Institute and Professor at the Carlos III University of Madrid (UC3M), has been formally inducted as a full member of the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAI).

During the swearing-in ceremony, held at the RAI headquarters in Madrid on September 30, Professor Torralba was accompanied by a large representation from the IMDEA Materials Institute and UC3M, as well as family, friends, and former doctoral students.

“My personal experience at the inauguration ceremony was very gratifying,” said Professor Torralba after the ceremony. “I was fortunate and honoured to have a significant part of my

family, colleagues from both IMDEA Materials and the University, collaborators, friends, and especially former PhD students and doctors who have worked with me over the years.”

“The academy also fully participated in organising the event, which made it unforgettable for me. I don’t think you could have a better start for an institution. I’m entering the academy with great enthusiasm and a huge desire to work,” he added.

In a statement, IMDEA Materials stated, “We […] are very proud to have been present on such a special day, with the assistance of our director, Jon Molina; our deputy director, Damien Tourret; our manager, Covadonga Rosado; as well as several group leaders,

Plansee’s environmental commitment recognised with EPMA Sustainability Award

Plansee Group, headquartered in Reutte, Austria, has been awarded the EPMA Sustainability Award 2025. The award, presented during

the Euro PM2025 conference in Glasgow, UK, September 14–17, recognised a commitment to environmental responsibility, social projects and sustainability within Powder Metallurgy.

“We are very honoured to receive the EPMA Sustainability Award, as it highlights two important priorities: sustainability and our expertise in powder metallurgy,” says Dr Arno Plankensteiner, Director of Corporate Research at Plansee. “It reflects the dedication of our teams across the globe to drive sustainability projects and help our customers meet their sustainability goals. At Plansee, we see ourselves not just as a supplier, but as an innovation partner. Together with our customers, we develop sustainable

Professor José Manuel Torralba has been sworn in as a full member of Spain’s Royal Academy of Engineering (Courtesy IMDEA Materials Institute)

current and former researchers, and members of our administration. We would like to congratulate Professor Torralba again for this well-deserved recognition.”

www.materials.imdea.org www.raing.es

products and solutions that cover the entire life cycle from responsible raw material sourcing and energyefficient processing to end-of-life recycling.”

According to the European Powder Metallurgy Association (EPMA), Plansee has demonstrated leadership in responsible sourcing, social responsibility, and implementing circular material flows. The company’s sustainability efforts span four key areas: products, production, procurement, and people, supported by governance and responsibility practices.

In addition to efforts to decarbonise its production, Plansee emphasised refurbishment initiatives with partners to reduce resource use and emissions, reflecting its internal sustainability culture. According to the company, 100% of 3TG (tin, tungsten, tantalum and gold) are sourced from certified conflict-free smelters, in line with international standards. www.epma.com www.plansee.com

EPMA Executive Director Lionel Aboussouan (left) presenting the Sustainability Award to Plansee’s Dr Arno Plankensteiner (Courtesy EPMA)

Flash Joule heating enables viable rare-earth recovery

A team of researchers from Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA, has developed an ultrafast, one-step method to recover rare earth elements (REEs) from discarded magnets. It is reported that this innovative approach may offer significant environmental and economic benefits over traditional recycling methods.

Conventional rare earth recycling is energy-heavy and creates toxic waste. However, the research team’s method uses flash Joule heating (FJH) to rapidly raise material temperatures to several thousand degrees in milliseconds, and chlorine gas to extract REEs from magnet waste in seconds without needing water or acids.

James Tour, the T T and W F Chao Professor of Chemistry, professor of materials science and nanoengineering and corresponding author of the study, shared, “We’ve demonstrated that we can recover rare earth elements from electronic waste in seconds with minimal environmental footprint. It’s the kind of leap forward we need to secure a resilient and circular supply chain.”

The researchers proposed that FJH combined with chlorine gas could take advantage of differences

RevolutionaRy

Due to the efficiency of our cuttingedge technology we can offer the lowest priced powder on the market with no compromise in quality.

Flash Joule heating setup used by the research team (Courtesy Jeff Fitlow/Rice University)

in Gibbs free energy, a measure of a material’s reactivity, and varying boiling points to selectively remove non-REE elements from magnet waste.

The research team tested this process on neodymium iron boron and samarium cobalt magnet waste using ultrafast FJH under a chlorine atmosphere. By precisely controlling the temperatures and heating the materials within seconds, the non-REE elements were converted into volatile chlorides, which then separated from the solid REEs.

The scientists observed that the non-rare-earth elements were removed almost instantaneously, enabling the recovery of a purer rare-earth residue.

Shichen Xu, first author of the study and a postdoctoral associate at Rice, stated, “The thermodynamic advantage made the process both efficient and clean. This method not only works in tiny fractions of the time compared to traditional routes, but it also avoids any use of water or acid, something that wasn’t thought possible until now.”

Our powder is:

•

Spherical

Free-flowing

D50 of 35µm for most materials

D50 of 20µm for titanium super alloys

•

Has high tap density

We process directly from:

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Raw elemental material

• Sponge

Pre-alloyed stock

•

Recycled chip

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Recycled parts

Over-sized powder

We can handle refractory and reactive alloys

www.arcastmaterials.com

In addition to laboratory experiments, the researchers conducted a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) and techno-economic analysis (TEA) to benchmark their process. They achieved over 90% purity and yield for REE recovery in a single step. The LCA and TEA revealed an 87% reduction in energy use, an 84% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions and a 54% reduction in operating costs compared to hydrometallurgy.

The process eliminates the need for water and acid inputs entirely, according to the study.

Toward scalable, circular rare - earth economy

The new method reportedly makes it possible to build small or large, easy-to-use recycling units that can be placed close to where electronic waste is collected. These local systems can process used magnets quickly and cleanly, cutting down on shipping costs and helping the environment. www.rice.edu

Results demand RevolutionaRy powdeR

CMI’s rare earth processing licensed to Principal Mineral

Critical Materials Innovation (CMI) Hub researchers at Ames National Laboratory, Iowa, USA, have announced that their newly developed technology for processing rare earth metals has been licensed to Principal Mineral, based in Dallas, Texas.

“This newest licence continues to fulfil the CMI mission to accelerate innovative scientific and technological solutions,” stated Thomas Lograsso, CMI Director. “Through technology innovation and unique partnerships between national laboratories, universities and industry, CMI strengthens our nation’s critical materials supply chains.”

The Rare Earth Metals via Alternative Fluoride Salt (REMAFS) process is based on metallothermic

reduction without the use or generation of harmful acid. The new method can be integrated earlier in the rare earth supply chain, enabling a reduction in the number of steps required to convert mined materials to rare earth metals.

CMI Project Lead Denis Prodius leads research stating that the REMAFS process produces magnets that are of equivalent grade to those made with commercially available rare earth metals. The technology supports domestic neodymium metal and Nd-Fe-B magnet production while, according to CMI, improving safety, environmental impact, and scalability.

“Principal Mineral is proud to partner with Ames National

Laboratory and the Critical Materials Innovation Hub to bring the REMAFS process into commercial application,” added Adam Johnson, Principal Mineral CEO. “This technology marks a significant leap forward in advancing a safer, more reliable, and efficient domestic supply of rare earth metals. As we work to reinforce US critical materials supply chains, our collaboration with CMI exemplifies the power of innovation and public-private partnership in achieving national strategic priorities.”

Johnson recently presented the CMI Webinar ‘Navigating Volatility in Critical Mineral Markets’, a recording of which is available on CMI’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ criticalmaterialsinnovationhub/ videos www.ameslab.gov www.principalmineral.com

Sandvik’s model

EV highlights critical need for mined materials

To highlight the importance of mining, Sweden’s Sandvik AB has produced a symbolic electric car without any mined metals or minerals: eNimon. The nonfunctional, transparent car aims to emphasise that 90% of electric car components are produced from mined materials.

“There wouldn’t be a green transition without mining. We want to electrify the world because it makes the world more sustainable. Sustainable mining is the backbone of the green transition,” said Mats Eriksson,

president at Business Area Mining at Sandvik. “Without it, we can’t meet climate goals.”

The demand for critical minerals like lithium, nickel and copper is increasing exponentially as sustainability is more widely adopted (electric vehicles, for example, require 6x more minerals than vehicles relying on internal combustion engines). According to the company, achieving net-zero by 2050 would require up to 5x more lithium, nickel and cobalt than are currently in supply.

MPP awarded US patent for rare-earthfree SMC rotor technology

Metal Powder Products LLC (MPP), Noblesville, Indiana, USA, has received a US patent for its novel induction rotor technology, a design that leverages soft magnetic composites (SMCs) and copper conductors to deliver high torque without the need for rare-earth magnets.

Electrification demands highperformance components. Motors, for example, must deliver high power density, operate more efficiently and be sourced sustainably – all while manufacturers must face unpredictable global supply chains for rare earth magnets.

Despite this increased demand, enrollment in mining studies is on the decline; new global research from the company shows that only half of engineering students view the mining industry favourably. Still, more than 90% would consider a career in mining if they understood its role in the green transition.

As with other segments of the Powder Metallurgy industry, the mining sector faces the challenge of raising awareness of its sustainability credentials and how it can contribute to a greener future.

The eNimon car is now on display at the National Museum of Science and Technology in Stockholm.

www.home.sandvik

To meet the needs of electrification, MPP’s rotor is able to offer high torque and power density without added weight. The component’s near-net shape manufacturing may reduce scrap and lower total production costs, states the company. As these attributes are achieved without the use of rare earth magnets, the company is able to shorten the supply chain by sourcing materials from the US. At the core of MPP’s design are soft magnetic composites, which are engineered powder metal materials coated with an insulating layer. Unlike traditional laminations, SMCs carry magnetic flux in three dimensions, enabling new designs. The components’ 3D flux capability enables a reduction in core losses whilst achieving highfrequency performance, reportedly 10,000 Hz or higher.

The induction rotor with copper rotor and SMCs for which MPP has received a US patent (Courtesy Metal Powder Products)

The US patent awarded to MPP for its rotor design (Courtesy MPP)

The rotor is manufactured via Powder Metallurgy, using copper for its superior conductivity and efficiency. This enables higher torque output and usable power, increased durability, lower energy loss and improved thermal behaviour.

While the rotor is optimised for axial flux motor systems, MPP has stated that its value can extend beyond the planned axial flux motor configuration.

www.mppinnovation.com

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Neo Performance Materials inaugurates Estonian magnet plant as Europe strengthens strategic supply chains

Metal powder technology is once again commanding global attention as nations race to secure the materials driving the clean-energy transition. Nowhere is this shift more tangible than in Estonia, where Neo Performance Materials has inaugurated Europe’s first large-scale rare-earth magnet plant in a generation. The Narva facility marks a defining moment in the reshaping of advanced manufacturing supply chains – from efficiency to resilience, from global to regional. In this article, Emma Lawn and Nick Williams explore how Neo’s investment signals a new industrial era.

In June 2025, at the G7 Summit in Canada, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen held up a small, gleaming cylinder: “Today, I brought with me a permanent magnet. Not just any magnet – this is a rare earth permanent magnet. It was manufactured in Estonia, by a Canadian company using raw materials sourced from Australia… This comes from the first rare earth magnet plant in the Western world. And where does it end up? In German, French, and American electric vehicles and wind turbines” [1].

The part she held was made by Neo Performance Materials – a tangible example of global supply chains being reshaped through diversification rather than decoupling. Four months later, at the Berlin Global Dialogue on October 25 th , von der Leyen framed the challenge directly: “If you consider that over 90% of our consumption of rare earth magnets come from imports from China, you see the risks here for Europe and its most strategic industrial sectors... In the short term, we

are focusing on finding solutions with our Chinese counterparts. But we are ready to use all of the instruments in our toolbox to respond if needed” [2]. For the European Union – and for manufacturers across non-EU Europe – seeking to decar -

bonise while maintaining strategic autonomy, the question is no longer whether to localise, but how to do so responsibly.

The rare earths sector operates as a tightly coupled, globally interdependent system underpinning critical

Fig. 1 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen highlighted Europe’s rare-earth strategy during the G7 Summit, Kananaskis, 2025 (Courtesy Neo Performance Materials)

technologies from electric vehicles to wind turbines. Of course, in the 1990s, Europe had an established magnets industry, but production moved overseas, driven by lower costs, established refining capacity, and the rapid development of integrated supply chains in Asia. Europe retained research capability, but lost almost all of its large-scale manufacturing base. This was explored in some depth by Dr Marcus Schneider, Kevin Haffke and Dr Dennis

Wawoczny from GKN Powder Metallurgy in the Summer 2024 issue of PM Review [3].

Narva represents one of the few large-scale efforts to reverse that trend, extending the same logic of quality consistency and supply assurance that companies such as GKN Powder Metallurgy have been pursuing at the component level to a continental manufacturing scale. With global supply networks continually restructuring, Europe’s

“Over the past two decades, much of Europe’s magnet production moved overseas, driven by lower costs, established refining capacity, and the rapid development of integrated supply chains in Asia.”

challenge is not simply to ‘bring production back’, but to rebuild it in a form that is competitive, traceable, and environmentally responsible.

In this context, Neo Performance Materials’ new facility in Narva, Estonia represents a practical milestone: a major industrial-scale permanent magnet plant within the EU, now progressing from pre-start operations to customer qualification ahead of a 2026 commercial ramp.

The Narva facility: Europe’s flagship sintered NdFeB magnet plant

More than 270 guests attended Narva’s official opening on September 19, 2025, including automotive and renewable-energy leaders, government representatives, and investors from Europe, North America, Australia, and Japan.

The site, part of Neo’s Magnequench division – a leader in NdFeB magnetic powders, magnets,

Fig. 2 Neo Performance Materials’ new Narva facility in Estonia. The Narva facility marks Europe’s flagship production facility for sintered NdFeB permanent magnets (Courtesy Neo Performance Materials)

and their applications – entered pre-start operations in May 2025 and was formally inaugurated in September. The Narva facility will be Europe’s leading large-scale production facility for sintered NdFeB permanent magnets – a technically demanding leap from bonded-powder manufacturing – that requires precise microstructural and compositional control. Completed in 500 days, the facility is already producing and shipping qualification sample magnets to awarded contract obligations for automotive platforms and upcoming programmes. Backed by an EU Just Transition Fund grant and a loan under an Export Development Canada (EDC) credit facility, it has an explicit focus on supplying EV motor manufacturers in Europe and North America, where local production is expected to reach 40 million EV traction motors by 2035. Phase 1A is projected to produce 2,000 tonnes per year – enough to supply approximately 1 to 1.5

“ Phase 1A targets 2,000 tonnes per year – enough to supply approximately 1 to 1.5 million electric and hybrid vehicle traction motors. Infrastructure is in place to scale to more than 5,000 tonnes per year.”

million electric and hybrid vehicle traction motors. Infrastructure is in place to scale to more than 5,000 tonnes per year [4, 5].

For Estonia itself, the Narva facility is an economic milestone. Von der Leyen stated, “This facility is creating around 1,000 new high-quality jobs in Narva and transforming Ida-Viru County from a region once reliant on shale oil into a hub of clean innovation” [6].

Silmet facility integration

Just 50 km west, Neo’s long-established Silmet complex in Sillamäe is one of the few rare earth separation plants operating outside China, part of Neo’s Rare Metals subsidiary. Together, Silmet and Narva form a practical ‘molecules-to-magnets’ route inside the EU – with upstream oxide separation at Silmet, downstream sintered-magnet production at Narva, and room to integrate

Fig. 3 Rahim Suleman, President and CEO of Neo Performance Materials, at the opening ceremony (Courtesy Neo Performance Materials)

“Neo has begun building a heavy rare earth pilot line at Silmet to produce dysprosium (Dy) and terbium (Tb). The mini-line is intended to support Narva’s production ramp and other European customers. If successful, it would precede a full commercial line.”

metal-making and recycling between them.

Neo has begun building a heavy rare earth pilot line at Silmet to produce dysprosium (Dy) and terbium (Tb). The pilot-line is intended to support Narva’s production ramp and other European customers. If successful, it would precede a full commercial line, adding heavy rare earth capabilities to the light rare earths, such as neodymium (Nd) and praseodymium (Pr), already separated by Neo in Europe [7].

Gaining commercial traction

In Neo’s second-quarter 2025 results, Suleman reported that “Magnequench volumes grew 31%, and performance was solid across all segments.” He added that “our European permanent magnet facility has been recognised on the global stage and has secured an additional traction-motor programme, a multi-year agreement expected to generate $50 million in cumulative revenue” [7].

On September 19 it was also announced that Neo Performance Materials has signed a multi-year Memorandum of Understanding with Robert Bosch GmbH to support the development of localised rare earth magnet production in Europe. The agreement will reserve a portion of capacity at Neo’s Estonian facility for Bosch, aligning both companies around supply chain security and regional manufacturing growth.

Suleman stated at the time, “Entering this extended partnership with Bosch is an important step in building a resilient and sustainable supply chain for our customers. This secures a significant portion of our future production and speaks to our strategy of prioritising partnerships with the world’s largest and most innovative companies” [8].

Across the main markets identified by Neo (Table 1), electric and hybrid vehicles remain one

Fig. 4 Inside Neo’s new sintered magnet plant (Courtesy Neo Performance Materials)

Fig. 5 Automated operations in Narva (Courtesy Neo Performance Materials)

Application Typical NdFeB magnet mass Key characteristics 2026–2030 CAGR (est.)

EV / HEV traction

3.5-6 kg per vehicle (2.53.5 kg in traction motor)

Wind turbines 6-8 t per turbine (typical offshore direct-drive)

Robotics / automation 3-8 kg per humanoid robot

AI / data-centre cooling 2-3 kg per 1 MW load

Unmanned aerial vehicles (drones)

0.1-5.0 kg per drone (consumer to military)

> 85% of EV / HEV motors use RE magnets; efficiency driver across pumps and thermal systems ~ 10-12%

Replaces geared drivetrains; 50–70% reduction in weight / maintenance ~9%-10%

High torque-density and precision actuation; global humanoid fleet projected > 1 bn by 2040

Permanent-magnet pumps / fans for thermal management in AI servers ~ 8 -10%

Used in propulsion, stabilisation and gimbals across segments ~ 10-15%

Table 1 Representative NdFeB magnet intensities and growth outlooks by application (Courtesy Neo Performance Materials Investor Day (Sept 2025), Applications slides 20-22) [9]

of the largest uses for rare earth magnets, with several kilograms required per drivetrain. Wind power is the other heavy consumer, each direct-drive offshore turbine typically using six to eight tonnes of material [9].

Emerging applications such as industrial and humanoid robotics and AI-related cooling systems are smaller in volume but expanding rapidly, while unmanned aerial vehicles add another dynamic, highgrowth niche.

Supply and demand

Rising demand for traction-motor magnets, wind-turbine generators, and AI-server cooling fans is intensifying Europe’s supply-demand imbalance, making the expansion of domestic magnet capacity an immediate priority.

Adamas Intelligence reports that after a 1.8% decline in 2022, global NdFeB magnet consumption rebounded by 13.3% in 2023, led by traction motors in EVs, wind power, and automotive micromotors, sensors and speakers. Adamas forecasts that between 2024 and 2040, NdFeB demand will grow at about 8.7% CAGR. Over the same

Neo’s global footprint and competitive position

Headquartered in Toronto and listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, Neo Performance Materials operates three principal divisions:

Magnequench

A producer of rare earth magnetic powders and magnets (bonded and sintered)

Chemicals & Oxides

Rare-earth midstream separation, specialty mixed oxides and environmental catalysts

Rare Metals

Recycling and refining of hafnium, gallium, niobium, and tantalum Across these businesses, Neo employs over 1,800 people in Europe, Asia, and North America, maintaining production in China, Thailand, Germany, Estonia, the UK, and Canada.

Crucially, Neo is one of the most vertically integrated rare-earth companies outside Asia, combining raw material separation, refinement, magnet production and assembly. This

integration allows it to control quality, ensure traceability, and adjust to market cycles more smoothly than firms dependent on external feedstock.

The history of Magnequench Neo’s Magnequench division, headed by Executive Vice President Greg Kroll, has a lineage that runs back to the invention of NdFeB magnetic materials in the early 1980s. Its engineers co-developed the first rapid-solidification process for producing fine-grained magnetic powders, a technology that remains the foundation of highperformance magnets today.

Over the decades, Magnequench has evolved from a powder supplier into a systems partner. It manufactures bonded and sintered magnets, magnet assemblies, and engineered components for clients including Dyson, Bosch, Brose, Schaeffler, and Denso. Applications span traction motors, robotics, AI server cooling, and precision industrial drives [10].

7 Price movement for selected rare earth elements included in China’s April 2025 export controls, by region, 2025 (Courtesy IEA) [12]

period, it expects the supply of key ‘magnet rare earths’ – didymium (a praseodymium/neodymium mixture), dysprosium, terbium – to grow more slowly, around 5.1% CAGR, raising the risk of tightness later in the decade. Between 2030 and 2040, Adamas sees potential NdFeB shortfalls that could constrain sectors such as robotics, advanced air mobility and EVs [13].

Export controls and Beijing’s grip on rare earths

Beijing’s dominance in rare earth extraction, processing, and advanced magnet manufacturing gives it lasting leverage over global manufacturing, energy, and defence supply chains. This control allows it to manage access, influence pricing, and shape technological progress across advanced economies.

While mining is geographically dispersed, the real bottleneck remains in refining and magnet production, where China still accounts for around 60% of global rare earth output and more than 90% of processing [14] (Fig. 6). Export controls bring a high level of uncertainty thanks to a fluid geopolitical landscape, but at the time of writing government approval, even for small shipments, gives Beijing decisive leverage over supply and pricing.

Since December 2023, Beijing has prohibited the export of key extraction and separation technologies, and on October 9 2025, under Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China (MOFCOM) Notice 2025-61, expanded licensing controls across the rare earth and magnet value chain, explicitly barring export licences for military or defence-linked end-users [15]. Legal and trade analysts describe the October 2025 actions as the most comprehensive tightening in years, extending export controls from materials to processing equipment, technology, recycling kit, and even some foreign-made items containing Chinese-origin rare earths [16].

In 2010, China interrupted rare earth exports to Japan during a diplomatic dispute, sending prices sharply higher over the following year – dysprosium rose more than eleven-fold and neodymium roughly eight-fold [17]. Prices later eased, but another spike followed in 2020-2021, and recent 2025 export restrictions triggered yet another surge in European prices while domestic Chinese prices stayed flat (Fig. 7).

Europe’s supply chain imperative

For much of the past generation, rare earth supply chains were global by design: ores mined in Australia or Africa were shipped to China for separation, refined alloys were exported to magnet makers, and finished components were finally sent to motor assemblers else -

Fig. 6 China’s share in rare earth magnet production, 2024 (Courtesy IEA) [11]

Fig.

where. The resulting ‘magnet miles’ made sense when efficiency meant the lowest cost. That logic has now flipped. Manufacturers – especially in Europe – want local-for-local sourcing that reduces geopolitical risk, transportation emissions, and audit complexity.

In March 2023, von der Leyen set the tone: de-risk supply chains rather than decouple entirely from China, with diversification, traceability and resilience as the goals. “I believe it is neither viable – nor in Europe’s interest – to decouple from China. Our relations are not black or white – and our response cannot be either. This is why we need to focus on de-risk – not de-couple” [18].

In 2024 Neo also restructured its China operations, retaining access to heavy rare earth feedstock while shifting investment toward valueadded magnet manufacturing in Europe and North America [19]. The company is, however, also keen to stress that it is not decoupling from China, but recognising

“I believe it is neither viable – nor in Europe’s interest – to decouple from China. Our

relations

are not

black or

white – and our response cannot be either. This is why we need to focus on de-risk – not de-couple,” Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission

“parallel supply chains and balanced co-dependence”, as reported in an interview with the market intelligence firm Benchmark Minerals [20].

The Critical Raw Materials Act defines Europe’s targets

Europe’s magnet strategy is framed by the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), adopted in 2024. This act targets at least 40% of processing

in the EU, 25% from recycling, and no more than 65% of any strategic material sourced from a single non-EU country by 2030 [21]. The United States, meanwhile, has announced a 25% tariff on permanent magnets from China from 2026.

In this context, scale matters. At Neo’s Narva opening this year, Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice President of the European Commission, said, “Magnets are crucial for Europe’s future. They power

Fig. 8 Neo’s first facility in Narva is expected to satisfy up to 15% of the EU’s demand for sintered rare earth magnets (Courtesy Neo Performance Materials)

electric vehicles, wind turbines, and microelectronics. Now, Neo’s first facility in Narva will satisfy up to 15% of the EU’s demand for these magnets” [5].

A question that to date hasn’t formed part of the conversation around truly independent magnet production outside of China is that of production technology for magnetic materials. Chinese magnet production equipment suppliers undoubtedly benefit from a huge installed base, however in Europe

and North America, equipment suppliers, from materials production to pressing and sintering solutions, are visibly promoting their capabili

-

ties.

Outlook

Neo’s investment in Estonia extends to fostering scientific and technical talent. Neo has established key cooperation agreements with Estonia’s leading educational institutions,

“Magnets are crucial for Europe’s future. They power electric vehicles, wind turbines, and microelectronics. Now, Neo’s first facility in Narva will satisfy up to 15% of the EU’s demand for these magnets,” Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission

including University of Tartu’s Youth Academy, Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech) and Robotex.

Once commercial production begins in 2026, Neo expects Narva to serve European customers across automotive, robotics, and renewable-energy sectors. The plant’s design allows modular expansion, with Phase 2 studies considering potential new sites in North America, Vietnam, and Thailand, creating global capability.

Longer term, the company envisions linking Narva’s sintered magnet output with recycled feedstock from end-of-life motors, closing the loop on both materials and emissions. Such circularity could become a differentiating factor as OEMs face stricter carbon-reporting requirements under the EU’s Green Deal Industrial Plan.

What is clear is that Narva alone cannot meet demand. In a YouTube interview with Investor News, Suleman stressed the importance of localising some supply so that they can manage risk and be closer to the overall technology [22]. “That’s how we started our Estonian facility, focusing on those types of opportunities, particularly traction motors for electric vehicles. Since then, the floodgates have opened. The spotlight is on meeting a more diverse supply chain, not a completely independent supply chain, but a more diverse supply chain where one can manage risk and one can be closer to the developments with respect to the motors and the magnets.”

“We have more [...] demand than we can possibly supply. But we have long standing relationships with the largest motor manufacturers in the world and our commitment to them is to deliver and we will deliver responsibly and we will ramp responsibly.”

“So the opportunities are frankly beyond our [current] capacity... But today we focus on delivering to our customers, one customer at a time, one programme at a time...

Fig. 9 One of the first batches of sintered magnets from Narva (Courtesy Neo Performance Materials)

We have no concern around demand level,” concluded Suleman. As the facility ramps toward commercial output in 2026, the symbolism of President von der Leyen’s magnet at the G7 summit will continue to resonate: “The future will be made in Europe. Neo and Narva are proof of this” [6], a sentiment echoed by Kristen Michal, Prime Minister of Estonia, who stated “In Narva, we are opening not only a factory, but also a new chapter in Europe’s industrial future. I want to thank Neo Performance Materials and its partners” [5].

Further information www.neomaterials.com

Authors Emma Lawn, Nick Williams Metal Powder Technology magazine

Contact: nick@inovar-communications.com

“...Neo

expects Narva to serve European customers across automotive, robotics, and renewable-energy sectors. The plant’s design allows modular expansion, with Phase 2 studies considering potential new sites in North America, Vietnam, and Thailand, creating global capability.”

References

[1] European Commission, ‘Statement by President von der Leyen at Session II – working lunch of the G7: Economic growth, security and resilience’, (16 June 2025). Available at: ec.europa.eu/commission/ presscorner/api/files/document/ print/en/statement_25_1522/STATEMENT_25_1522_EN.pdf

[2] European Commission, ‘Speech by President von der Leyen at the 2025

Berlin Global Dialogue’, (25 October 2025). Available at: ec.europa.eu/ commission/presscorner/detail/en/ speech_25_2515

[3] Schneider, M., Haffke, K. and Wawoczny, D., ‘The state of Europe’s hard magnets industry and the challenge of optimising the mass production of Nd2Fe14B permanent magnets’, (2024), PM Review , Vol. 13, No. 2. Available at: issuu.com/ inovar-communications/docs/pm_ review_summer_2024_issuu/65

Fig. 10 Furnaces at the Narva facility (Courtesy Neo Performance Materials)

[4] Neo Performance Materials, ‘Neo Wins New Award with Leading European Tier 1 Manufacturer of EV Traction Motors’, (6 August 2024). Available at: www.neomaterials.com/ neo-award-european-manufacturer/

[5] Neo Performance Materials, ‘Neo Performance Materials opens stateof-the-art permanent magnet facility in Europe’, (22 September 2025). Available at: www.neomaterials.com/ neo-performance-materials-opensstate-of-the-art-permanent-magnetfacility-in-europe/

[6] Ursula von der Leyen, ‘This June I brought a magnet to the G7 summit...’, LinkedIn , (2025). Available at: www.linkedin.com/posts/ursulavon-der-leyen_this-june-i-broughta-magnet-to-the-g7-summit-activity7375118826603958272-WGKs/

[7] Neo Performance Materials, ‘Neo Performance Materials Reports Second Quarter 2025 Results’, (12 August 2025). Available at: www. neomaterials.com/neo-performancematerials-reports-second-quarter2025-results/

[8] Neo Performance Materials, ‘Neo Extends Strategic Partnership for High-Performance Magnets with Bosch’, (19 September 2025). Available at: www.neomaterials.com/ neo-extends-strategic-partnershipfor-high-performance-magnets-withbosch/

[9] Neo Performance Materials, ‘Investor Presentation’, (12 August 2025). Available at: www. neomaterials.com/wp-content/ uploads/2025/08/NPM_InvestorPresentation_2Q25.pdf

[10] Neo Performance Materials, ‘Magnequench’. Available at: www. neomaterials.com/magnequench/

[11] IEA, ‘China’s share in rare earth magnet production, 2024’, (2025). IEA , Paris. Available at: www.iea. org/data-and-statistics/charts/ china-s-share-in-rare-earth-magnetproduction-2024 (Licence: CC BY 4.0)

[12] IEA, ‘Price movement for selected rare earth elements included in the April 2025 export controls, by region, 2025’, (2025). IEA , Paris. Available at: www.iea. org/data-and-statistics/charts/ price-movement-for-selectedrare-earth-elements-included-inthe-april-2025-export-controls-byregion-2025 (Licence: CC BY 4.0)

[13] Adamas Intelligence, ‘Rare Earth Magnet Market Outlook to 2040’, (2024). Available at: www. adamasintel.com/rare-earth/ rare-earth-magnet-market-outlookto-2040/

[14] Perera, A., ‘Why the US needs China’s rare earths’, BBC , (Updated 16 October 2025). Available at: www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ c1drqeev36qo

[15] CSET, ‘Ministry of Commerce Notice 2025 No. 61’, (9 October 2025). Available at: cset. georgetown.edu/publication/ mofcom-notice-2025-61/

[16] Reuters, ‘China expands rare earths restrictions, targets defence and chips users’, (10 October 2025). Available at: www.reuters.com/ world/china/china-tightens-rareearth-export-controls-2025-10-09/

[17] Humphries, M., ‘Rare Earth Elements: The Global Supply Chain’, R41347, Congressional Research Service , (2012).

[18] European Commission, ‘Speech by President von der Leyen on EU-China relations to the Mercator Institute for China Studies and the European Policy Centre’, (30 March 2023). Available at: ec.europa.eu/ commission/presscorner/detail/ en/speech_23_2063

[19] Neo Performance Materials, ‘Annual Information Form 2025’. Available at: www.neomaterials. com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/ Neo-AIF-2025-vF.pdf

[20] Benchmark, ‘In conversation with NEO Performance Materials CEO and President Rahim Suleman’, (22 September 2025). Available at: source.benchmarkminerals.com/ article/in-conversation-with-neoperformance-materials-ceo-andpresident-rahim-suleman

[21] Council of the European Union, ‘Strategic autonomy: Council gives its final approval on the Critical Raw Materials Act’, (18 March 2024). Available at: www. consilium.europa.eu/en/press/ press-releases/2024/03/18/ strategic-autonomy-council-givesits-final-approval-on-the-criticalraw-materials-act/

[22] InvestorNews, ‘Neo Performance Opens Europe’s Largest Magnet Facility: Europe’s Landmark Critical Minerals Project’, YouTube , (2024).

Available at: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=tOZFBYkAPCs

Discover past articles relating to this theme

Metco Industries: Balancing PM innovation, investment discipline and next-generation pressing technology

In Pennsylvania’s St. Marys region, one of the world’s leading centres of Powder Metallurgy, Metco Industries has established itself as a steady, technically driven manufacturer serving automotive and industrial markets. Founded in 1982, the company has grown through disciplined investment in advanced technology, including a new state-of-the-art 500-ton CNC electric press that enhances precision and efficiency. Visiting the company, Bernard North reports on how Metco’s focus on innovation, process capability, and long-term resilience continues to define its success in a competitive PM industry.

St Marys and its neighbouring towns in west-central Pennsylvania – Brockway, Ridgway, DuBois and Emporium, to name a few, in Elk and neighbouring counties –are home to one of the biggest concentrations of press and sinter Powder Metallurgy production in the world. The area boasts numerous companies active in the field, along with their suppliers and service providers, all of which make or work with powder, dies, presses, and furnaces, as well as providing automated materials handling, machining parts, laboratory services, quality assurance methods, and other essential capabilities required for the industry. PM parts manufacturers represent a range of business models and ownership structures, including privately held firms, public companies, divisions of large public companies, and those backed by private equity. Some have diversified technically into Metal Injection Moulding and/or Additive Manufacturing, while others remain

wholly focused on pressing as their powder forming method. Together, the PM industry in the area forms a fascinating and critically important sector that provides thousands of manufacturing and technical jobs in a largely rural area, producing a wide range of high-quality metal parts necessary for the functioning of many industries and their products.

It was on a bright October morning that the author travelled through the Pennsylvania countryside and small towns to visit one of the larger privately held PM parts manufacturers in the region: Metco Industries, Inc. The visit aimed to learn about its history, processes, products, and business philosophy.

Fig. 1 Metco Industries’ manufacturing facility on Brusselles Street in St. Marys, Pennsylvania, one of the world’s largest centres for press and sinter Powder Metallurgy production (Courtesy Metco)

A half-day was spent in discussion and on a plant tour with Plant Manager Matt Liptak, joined at times by Metco’s President, Rodney Brennen, who provided some historical context and spoke about the company’s strategic direction.

Company history

Metco Industries was founded on January 1, 1982, by three partners with a single press, furnace, and parts tumbler, operating from a garage building in St. Marys. The small business grew quickly, and in 1984 it relocated to what was then a greenfield site on Brusselles Street, about a mile east of the town centre, where it remains to this day. The first building at the new site covered around 2,000 m² (20,000 ft²). As demand grew, the production area was expanded incrementally – in 1986, 1994 and 2000, then again in 2016 (adding 1,700 m²/17,000 ft²) and

2022 (a further 1,500 m²/15,000 ft²) –bringing the total footprint to around 16,000 m² (160,000 ft²) – roughly eight times the size of its 1984 building. Following the purchase of adjoining land, detailed plans and utility connections are already in place for a further 1,600 m² (16,000 ft²) of space anticipated within the next five years.

Key equipment milestones along the way include the first new press in 1982, the first new belt furnace in 1984, and the first 200-ton multi-action press in 2002. Staffing currently stands at about 180, with production running five days a week across three shifts.

Unlike many companies in the PM industry, Metco was largely unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the strength of its agricultural, lawn and garden customer base. The company currently consumes approximately 4.5 million kg (~10 million lb) of powder annually – equivalent to

roughly 5,000 US short tons (4,500 metric tonnes) – to produce around 60 million PM parts per year, or about 240,000 parts per working day. Metco remains optimistic about business prospects, evidenced by a ‘positions available’ sign alongside the road in front of the plant, the aforementioned expansion plans, as well as anticipated capital equipment purchases.

The company is wholly based in St. Marys, operating from its facilities on Brusselles Street with an additional local warehouse, and has no plans for geographic diversification.

Manufacturing overview

Powder

Around 90% of Metco Industries’ production is based on a range of ferrous PM alloys, with the remainder split roughly equally between 400-series stainless steels

Fig. 2 Powder containers positioned above Gasbarre presses (750 tons on the left, 60 tons on the right) following a 180° rotation for loading into the feed hopper (Courtesy Metco)

– high-carbon (C), low-nickel (Ni) ferritic or martensitic grades – on the one hand, and copper alloys (copper, brass, bronze) on the other. The larger-volume powder grades are received in containers designed to fit into the press feed hopper. Each container is flipped through 180° to place the open end downwards (Fig. 2), then lifted by forklift above the press and connected to the powder feed system leading to the feed shoe.

Around 85% of powder is processed as received, but four double cone blenders with intensifier bars, of various sizes, are used to produce bespoke mixes for R&D, particular compositions, specific pressing and sintering responses, or for quick availability of specific compositions – especially where less than 230 kg (500 lb) is required.

Dies

Metco’s in-house die designers collaborate with customers on their part models, most commonly using Solid Edge or Creo software, to create detailed die designs. The company does not manufacture dies in-house but works closely with local specialist die shops. However, dies are repaired and reconditioned on site.

Currently, Metco has about 2,000 active part geometries, each with one or more dies in the plant. Most dies remain the property of the customer for the corresponding parts. When a part goes out of production, the customer may request the die’s return or, more commonly, proof of its destruction. Many dies, however, simply remain in inventory. Liptak mentioned that he is starting to see more instances of customers re-shoring products, leading to the reactivation of older dies for new orders.

About 30% of dies use cemented carbide punch faces. Liptak added that he is very impressed with cobalt powder metal (CPM) steels as an economical alternative. A small percentage of dies are multi-cavity. Typical lead times for detailed die design and manufacture are three to five weeks.

Pressing

Metco operates forty-four presses, all of which are mechanical, except for two hydraulic and one new CNC electric model. Press capacity ranges from 30-750 tons, with most falling within the 60-200 ton range, and an even split between single- and multi-level types. The latter includes machines with up to seven levels, except for the latest 500-ton CNC electric press (Fig. 3), which has three upper and six lower levels.

Powder hoppers are enclosed to prevent contamination, and the powder flow system to the feed shoe on each press is designed to maintain a constant ‘head’ of powder,

improving green weight and, consequently, green density repeatability.

Most presses are ‘picked’ by robots, in many cases positioning the parts against rotating brushes for de-flashing before placing them on moving belts transferring the green parts to setters ready for sintering, or in some cases directly to the furnace belts. Typical setup times for die changeover are around four or five hours if a powder change is also required.

Presses are predominantly arranged in two main areas, each of which feeds a battery of sintering furnaces – sometimes directly on transfer belts, and in other cases

Fig. 3 Metco’s latest addition to its production line is an Osterwalder OPP 5000 MP 500-ton CNC electric press, featuring three upper and six lower compaction levels (Courtesy Metco)

through batch handling. The furnace outputs in turn feed a shared ‘tumbling’ process area located between the two press and sinter zones.

Metco keeps a close watch on alternative forming processes such as Metal Injection Moulding and Additive Manufacturing, but, like many – though not all – press and sinter PM parts manufacturers, has not yet chosen to enter those areas.

Metco’s latest addition to its production line is the Osterwalder OPP 5000 MP 500-ton CNC electric press. According to Liptak, the press’ user-friendly control software and F.A.S.T. tool change system allow some die setup to be carried out offline while the press is still producing parts. In combination, these features deliver significantly shorter setup times during die changes.

The press is very quiet and low in energy usage. Its multiple compaction levels and highly precise tooling movements ensure more uniform green density, producing components that are closer to net shape after sintering. This capability can eliminate the need for repressing and reduce subsequent machining requirements. The press’s design and motion control are also expected to minimise maintenance needs, further contributing to uptime and overall efficiency.

Delubing and sintering

Metco no longer uses separate delubing furnaces. They were used in the past, but Liptak explained that modern multi-zone furnaces with hydrogen (H 2) dew point control have made them unnecessary. Currently, the company runs fourteen belt furnaces, with belt widths ranging from ~30 cm (12”) to ~61 cm (24”), and between three and seven zones. Three of these furnaces are capable of an accelerated cool-down for sinter-hardened products.

Despite stainless steels accounting for about 5% of Metco’s product mix, the company oper -

Fig. 4 An operator setting up the Osterwalder OPP 5000 MP 500-ton CNC electric press (Courtesy Metco)

Fig. 5 Automated robotic cell used for picking and de-flashing pressed parts prior to sintering (Courtesy Metco)

ates no high temperature pusher furnaces. Liptak noted that 400 series stainless steels can be sintered using cycles suited to belt furnaces. An additional belt furnace is on order for delivery in January 2026.

Metco has operated its own nitrogen gas facility since 2008, and in 2022 upgraded its on-site hydrogen generation plant –tripling capacity to provide approximately sixty-five days of supply.

Post-processing and finishing

Several vibratory bowl tumblers, using a variety of media – including PM steel pellets produced in-house by Metco – are employed for deburring and for improving the surface finish and appearance of parts. Eight presses with a capacity of 20-200 tons are available for repressing (also known as restriking), which is done on approximately 15% of products.

After deburring and, where needed, repressing, parts are transported by forklift from the main building up a heated underground concrete ramp – as readers familiar with St. Marys’ harsh winters will appreciate. They are delivered to a separate, climatecontrolled 2,100 m² (21,000 ft²) facility housing Pro Process LLC, Metco’s wholly owned machining, finishing, and assembly facility.

Approximately 80% of Metco’s machining needs are fulfilled in-house, with the remainder handled by local specialist shops. In-house capabilities include turning, milling, drilling, tapping, honing, grinding, and laser engraving, as well as annealing and steam treatment. Other processes, such as oil impregnation and coating, are carried out by qualified subcontractors. An increasing amount of assembly work is also done at Pro Process, much of it using a high level of automated materials handling, with robots picking and placing parts between individual process and inspection steps.

“Approximately 80% of Metco’s machining needs are fulfilled in-house, with the remainder handled

by local specialist shops.

In-house

capabilities include turning, milling, drilling, tapping, honing, grinding, and laser engraving, as well as annealing and steam treatment.”

Fig. 6 A Gasbarre continuous sintering furnace (Courtesy Metco)

Fig. 7 A production/inspection line in the Pro Process finishing area (Courtesy Metco)

Engineering and sales

Metco’s internal sales engineers –all of whom hold degrees and are qualified engineers – are assigned to specific customers, enabling close collaboration on technical details and the exchange of CAD models with their counterparts at customer sites. The company also employs commission-based manufacturers’ representatives on a geographic basis to support regional and international accounts.

Much of Metco’s marketing is, in effect, driven by existing customers broadening their product range and by word-of-mouth recommendations. The company also maintains visibility through exhibitions at relevant trade events, particularly within the automotive supply chain, and by hosting ‘PM 101’ training courses, held at customers’ facilities.

“Metco’s product mix is notably diverse. For 2025 to date, the sales mix comprises 41% automotive, although, unusually for a PM company, most of this is in steering and chassis components or assemblies – braking, suspension, etc. – rather than engine or transmission parts.”

Maintenance and repair

Metco has a substantial in-house repair and maintenance capability that contributes to cost control, quality improvement, and reduced lead times. Die tooling is repaired and refinished internally, with jigs, fixtures, and materials-handling equipment also produced on site. Further, presses are routinely reconditioned at the plant, primarily those already in-house. Interestingly, at the time of the visit, an old restriking press recently purchased externally was awaiting reconditioning; Liptak

noted that, once completed, it would be incorporated into Metco’s production.

Additive Manufacturing

While Metco does not currently use metal AM to produce components, it operates five polymer-based AM machines in-house. These are used for a range of purposes, including the production of physical models of new parts and dies to support communication with customers and suppliers and the manufacture of press feed shoes and gripper fingers for parts handling.

Metco’s engineering and tooldesign teams work closely with customers to obtain final approval for production, reinforcing its commitment to quality and manufacturability from the earliest design stages. The company’s in-house and external sales networks together serve North America and overseas markets.

Products and markets

Metco’s product mix is notably diverse (Fig. 8). For 2025 to date, the sales mix comprises 41% automotive, although, unusually for a PM company, most of this is in steering and chassis components or assemblies – braking, suspension, etc. – rather than engine or transmission parts. Some 33% of production is defined as commercial – a wide variety of parts, serving multiple industries including heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration, 19% is for agricultural and turf (covering everything from large tractors and other farm equipment to small lawn and garden tools), 4% healthcare, and 3% recreational vehicles (including all-terrain vehicles and similar off-highway equipment).

Fig. 8 2025 market segmentation by application sector, showing the dominant automotive segment (40.9%), commercial (32.9%), agriculture and turf (18.7%), healthcare (3.9%), and recreational vehicles (3.5%) (Courtesy Metco)

Based on the location of the immediate customer shipment site, approximately 80% of sales are within North America (the US, Canada, and Mexico), with the remaining 20% distributed across Europe, Asia, and South America.

Production is approximately 90% ferrous alloys, covering a wide range of specifications, 5% 400-series stainless steels (low nickel, high carbon), and 5% copper-based alloys (copper, brass, bronze). Metco only began stainless-steel production within the past three years.

A small number of PM blanks are sourced externally if their compositions make in-house production uneconomic. Metco expects to further diversify into soft magnetic composites (SMCs, materials used in electric motors, solenoids, and similar applications) and is currently in the R&D and testing phase with such materials.

In terms of part size, Liptak explained, “Our sweet spot is parts between about ½ in (12 mm) and 2 in (50 mm) in lateral dimension, mostly produced on presses between 60 and 200 tons.”

That said, Metco also manufactures both smaller and larger components. The smallest measures 2.5 x 2.3 mm (0.10 x 0.09”) and weighs just 0.23 g, while the largest reaches up to 25 cm (10”) in lateral dimension, 90 mm (3.5”) in height, and about 3.6 kg (8 lb) in mass. Based on overall powder usage and annual output, the average part mass is around 75 g.

Liptak and Brennen noted that Metco is unusually flexible in accepting low-volume production orders, with quantities as small as twenty-five parts. The company’s average order size is approximately 5,000 parts, while the largest orders can range up to around 1 million parts.

Metco averages about nine weeks from receipt of order to first delivery if a new die must be made, and about five weeks for repeat orders where tooling is already on-site. Additionally, many agricultural and turf products are kept as finished goods

inventory and can be shipped upon receipt of an order. On-time delivery performance has an internal target of over 95% and is currently around 98%.

Currently, the company maintains approximately 2,000 active part numbers with corresponding tooling, and in a typical month, ships around 380 different parts – suggesting an

“Liptak

average of about eighteen different part numbers per working day.

Commenting on trends that he has observed, Liptak noted, “When I started at Metco, tolerances were in thousandths [of an inch], then in tenths, now they are in microns.” Both part complexity and required surface finish quality have increased over time. Another notable trend,

and Brennen noted that Metco is unusually flexible in accepting low-volume production orders, with quantities as small as twenty-five parts. The company’s average order size is approximately 5,000 parts, while the largest orders can range up to around 1 million parts.”

Fig. 9 A large, complex steering system component manufactured on the 500-ton Osterwalder electric press (Courtesy Metco)

Fig. 10 Metco won an MPIF PM Design Excellence award this year for this throttle pedal part for off-highway construction equipment. The component is compacted conventionally to near-net shape using a hydraulic press with fill compensation and selective ejection. Secondary machining is performed to ensure a tight sliding fit of a bushing, a snap-ring retention feature, and for the tab on the face of the post. The final operation is zinc electroplating with a clear chromate conversion for corrosion protection. Previous designs used stampings and castings that were machined and assembled (Courtesy MPIF)

“Liptak sees SMCs as a key area of future growth, both for Metco and the wider PM industry. He also believes that there is still considerable potential, through a combination of education and process improvement, to convert more cast metal components to PM.”

clearly evident in the Pro Process section of the plant tour, is the growing provision of assemblies combining PM and, in many cases, non-PM parts. As Liptak and Brennen noted, “Customers want a one-stop shop.”

Liptak sees Soft Magnetic Composites (SMCs) as a key area of future growth, both for Metco and the wider Powder Metallurgy industry. He also believes that there is still considerable potential,

through a combination of education and process improvement, to convert more cast metal components to PM.

Metco’s success in the MPIF Design Excellence Awards

Metco’s expertise in Powder Metallurgy continues to earn industry recognition, with the company receiving both a Grand Prize and an

Award of Distinction in the Conventional PM Component category of the Metal Powder Industries Federation (MPIF) 2025 Design Excellence Awards.

The Grand Prize, in the Lawn & Garden/Off- Highway category, recognised a throttle pedal for off-highway construction equipment (Fig. 10). Produced to near-net-shape on a hydraulic press with fill-compensation and selective-ejection functions, the part undergoes secondary machining for precision features including a sliding bushing fit and snap-ring retention, followed by zinc electroplating with clear chromate conversion for corrosion protection. The PM design replaces a multi-piece stamped and cast assembly requiring extensive machining.

In the Automotive-Chassis category, Metco also received an Award of Distinction for a damping piston used in automotive shock absorber systems (Fig. 11). The component’s manufacture involves multiple independent

press functions to achieve exacting dimensions and mass, supported by special handling equipment and secondary machining. With multilevel, high-precision PM compaction, parts are produced to near-net shape, offering a cost-effective alternative to conventional manufacturing.

Quality, safety and sustainability

Metco receives quality assurance data on powder batches from its suppliers and supplements this with in-house measurement of carbon, oxygen, particle size, and powder flow. External laboratories perform metallic elemental analyses, while metallographic specimen preparation and optical microscopy are carried out internally. When Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) is required, Metco collaborates with a local university. Rockwell hardness testing is also conducted on-site.

Dimensional measurements at Pro Process LLC use automated vision systems, a Marposs gauging system, Optical Gaging Products (OGP) measurement systems, coordinate measuring machines, laser micrometry, and conventional gauges, along with flatness and concentricity testing. Some products undergo 100% dimensional inspection on at least one dimension.

The company is certified to ISO 9001:2015 and, since 2017, the automotive industry standard IATF 16949:2016, having previously held ISO/TS 16949 certification from 2004. The company was first certified to ISO 9000 and QS 9000 in 1998.

Metco places strong emphasis on training, system design, and operating procedures to maintain a safe working environment. MPIF’s Powder Metallurgy Parts Association (PMPA) has awarded Metco with its Safety Award in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, and the certificates are proudly displayed in a meeting room. At the time of writing, the company had achieved approximately 1,100 workdays without a lost-time accident, following a previous record of 3,500 days.

Fig. 11 Metco won a further MPIF PM Design Excellence award for this damping piston for an automotive shock absorber system. The compaction process requires several independent press functions to compact the damping piston to both the correct dimensions and mass. Special handling applications, secondary machining, and a specialty lathe and fixture are utilised throughout the process. With multi-level high precision PM compacting press capabilities, the parts can be made to near-net-shape. Due to the complexity, it would not be economical to produce using alternative manufacturing methods (Courtesy MPIF)

“Metco receives quality assurance data on powder batches from its suppliers and supplements this with in-house measurement of carbon, oxygen, particle size, and powder flow. External laboratories perform metallic elemental analyses, while metallographic specimen preparation and optical microscopy are carried out internally.”

Fig. 12 Metco won a 2024 MPIF PM Design Excellence award for this heavy-duty hospital bed rail latch-lock assembly. Two PM parts are included in this nine-part assembly. The latch-lock lever is made in a single level tool that utilises a special feature to maintain the density of the ramp, which is a critical wear zone. After sintering, the parts are milled, heat treated, and plated. Maintaining flatness and minimising warpage is a challenge with the given wall thickness. The infiltrated parts are resin impregnated prior to zinc plating and this provides a sterile surface unlikely to absorb contaminants in a hospital environment (Courtesy MPIF)

An on-site Sustainability Coordinator oversees environmental programmes, employee engagement and operational practices. Through ongoing engagement with EcoVadis, Metco aims to advance its environmental initiatives, strengthen its social responsibility, and reinforce effective governance, all in line with its long-standing principle of Global Excellence, Local Pride. Liptak mentioned that through a variety of initiatives, the factory has reduced its electricity consumption by around 20% over the past three years.

MPIF involvement

As one of the leading PM manufacturers in North America, Metco Industries actively participates in the Metal Powder Industries Federation (MPIF). Brennen, a recent recipient of the APMI (the professional and

educational arm of MPIF) Fellow Award, serves on the organisation’s Board of Governors and chairs the Finance Committee. He is also a past president of the Powder Metallurgy Parts Association (PMPA). Kenneth Schatz, Vice President, Sales, serves on the MPIF Industry Development Board, and Jason Forster, Metallurgist, is a member of the Standards Committee.

Metco is also a member of the Center for Powder Metallurgy Technology (CPMT), which coordinates and funds R&D projects of importance to the Powder Metallurgy industry.

Discussion

The statement printed on the back of Metco Industries’ business cards –“Global Excellence, Local Pride since 1982” – expresses how the company

views its role within both the PM industry and the local community. Having visited this area of Pennsylvania several times for APMI West Penn Chapter events and to interview companies for articles such as this one, the author is struck by how the leaders of these privately held firms have combined impressive business growth with a clear sense of responsibility to provide a safe and enriching environment not just for their employees but also the wider community, and indeed they see it as an integrated whole.

During the discussion with Brennen and Liptak, the author raised the subject that MPIF’s annual North American statistics generally indicate a flat or slightly declining volume of business, at least as measured by powder tonnages. At the company level, however, performance diverges: some businesses – including Metco – are very

successful while others struggle, often with broadly similar product lines. What makes the difference?

Brennen and Liptak highlighted the fact that Metco mitigates the financial risks of overexpansion by investing only when justified by business expectations. Its physical growth has occurred in six incremental stages over the past forty years, with a seventh stage anticipated, and major equipment purchases have followed the same principle. Investment during slower market periods helps the company secure favourable pricing and equipment lead times, ensuring capacity is ready when demand increases.

Brennen and Liptak also attribute much of Metco’s success to employee loyalty and experience. Liptak provided detailed data showing that 25% of staff had more than twenty years’ service, 17% between ten and twenty, 16% between five and ten, and 38% less than five years. Business growth, hands-on, knowledgeable management, and a strong emphasis on safety contribute to strong retention.

Liptak himself exemplifies this culture. He joined Metco as an operator in 2003 and later transitioned into the design engineering area, with the company’s support to complete a degree in Engineering. In 2012, he transitioned to a production management role, being subsequently promoted to his current position as Plant Manager.

Being privately owned and closely managed are factors that Brennen and Liptak believe make it easy to do business with. Decisions are made quickly, supported by a practical understanding of PM and customer needs. Its willingness to accept small production runs – as previously stated, sometimes as few as twentyfive parts – has often led to larger long-term orders.

The author would note that, given the relatively long die change times on older presses, this flexibility is made possible by Metco’s large number of presses. Ample press and furnace capacity, in-house die design staff expertise, and a high level of

vertical integration – from powder blending through to final machining and, for some products, assembly –all contribute to short lead times.

It is clear that extensive in-house maintenance, die refurbishment, and equipment rebuild capabilities support cost control and increase effective plant capacity. In several production and inspection steps, automation is used extensively for materials handling. The company predominantly focuses on ferrous press and sinter production, with limited stainless steel and copper alloys to support existing customers as single-source suppliers. Production is entirely press and sinter, relying exclusively on conventional belt sintering.

Adding value beyond tonnage

Metco maintains a well-diversified customer portfolio, with around 20% of output exported. Within the automotive industry, most business is in steering, suspension, and braking components – areas largely independent of drivetrain type. This balance contributes to overall resilience.

Interestingly, Liptak provided data showing the weight of powder processed and the number of parts pressed over ten years. Although there are some annual fluctuations, the overall quantities have remained broadly consistent. Yet it is evident that Metco Industries has grown significantly during that time.

It is important to recognise that physical tonnage and part count are helpful indicators, but they do not tell the whole story. In Powder Metallurgy, advances in powder atomisation, lubricants, die and press technology, and sintering control have combined to improve dimensional accuracy, often eliminating the need for repressing and reducing subsequent machining. These improvements can also lower the total weight of powder or sintered blanks required for a given finished component.

Equally, companies such as Metco, which have integrated forward into machining and assembly, add greater value to their products through higher precision and enhanced functionality.

In all, it was a great half-day spent at Metco Industries, and it will be good to see how the company continues to prosper in the years to come!

References

[1] Metal Powder Industries Federation, ‘MPIF 2025 Design Excellence Winners Announced’, 2025. Available at: https://www.mpif.org/News/ FocusPM/TabId/979/ArtMID/3883/ ArticleID/1111/MPIF-2025-DesignExcellence-Winners-Announced.aspx

Author

Bernard North North Technical Management, LLC Greater Pittsburgh area, Pennsylvania, USA brnrdnorth@gmail.com

Contact

Matt Liptak Plant Manager

Metco Industries Inc. 1241 Brusselles St. St. Marys, PA 15857 USA

mliptak@metcopm.com www.metcopm.com

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Reshoring magnet powder production: Vacuum metallurgy and atomisation for resilient supply chains

The rapid global transition to electrification, renewable energy generation, and advanced defence and aerospace systems has intensified demand for rare earth metals, primarily for use in highperformance permanent magnets. Neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets – also referred to as rare earth magnets, neodymium magnets, or simply neo magnets – provide the energy density, size-to-performance ratio, and thermal stability required for electric vehicle traction motors, wind turbine generators, robotics, and numerous military platforms. Beyond neodymium, other rare earths are used in lesser quantities to modify magnet properties, as well as in optics, semiconductors, and metallurgy. At the same time, production of rare earth elements and magnets remains geographically concentrated, creating supply chain fragility, price volatility, and security concerns for downstream manufacturers.

Retech Systems LLC, a Seco/ Warwick company, offers equipment and process infrastructure to support secure, domestic magnet material production. The company’s portfolio, which includes vacuum induction melting (VIM) and reduc -

tion furnaces, strip casters, melt spinners, and plasma gas atomisers (PGA), is engineered for vacuum or partial pressure melting and casting, with repeatable thermal control and long-term reliability. These capabilities are foundational to producing

Fig. 1 A single jet fighter can contain more than 500 kg of rare earth elements (Courtesy iStock)

Fig. 3 Comparison of the relative concentrations of rare earths in the ore type in China vs the USA. Note that the dysprosium yield is about 20% that of neodymium in China, whereas in the USA, dysprosium is found only in trace amounts [3]

high-purity alloys and finely controlled microstructures that enable high coercivity and magnetic performance while minimising reliance on scarce heavy rare earths. This article explains the market drivers that motivate reshoring and capacity building, clarifies the technical distinctions and trade-offs among strip casting, melt spinning, and atomisation, and details the supporting role of VIM and reduction systems. It incorporates domain feedback emphasising equipment reliability, domestic sourcing of critical components, and realistic positioning of atomisation relative to rapid-quench processes. The objec -

tive is to present an evidence-based, technical narrative that helps material developers, OEMs, and policy makers evaluate paths to resilient magnet supply chains.

Industry context and market drivers

Permanent magnets, especially the high strength rare earth magnets, are central to modern motion control and energy conversion. The electric vehicle market, where motors must deliver high torque while minimising size and weight, is a principal driver of NdFeB demand. Renewable energy

applications (notably direct-drive wind generators) and precision military and aerospace systems similarly rely on magnets offering stable performance at elevated temperatures.

Global magnet supply is highly concentrated. Mining, separation, alloy production, and magnet fabrication have been vertically integrated in a few regions, primarily China, for decades [1]. This concentration creates a strategic vulnerability: export controls, regional market shifts, or production interruptions can rapidly affect availability and cost. Consequently, governments and industry consortia in the United States, Europe, Japan, and allied markets are pursuing incentives, public–private partnerships, and investments aimed at onshoring or near-shoring magnet material capacity [2].

A technical dimension of this strategic challenge is dependence on heavy rare earth elements, chiefly dysprosium (Dy) and terbium (Tb), which are added in small percentages to boost coercivity at elevated temperatures. Dy and Tb are costly, and their refined supply is highly constrained, increasing both procurement risk and product cost. Therefore, a vital industry objective is to reduce Dy/Tb dependence by achieving equivalent magnetic performance through process and microstructural control (Fig. 3).

Addressing these goals requires more than just policy; it also requires equipment and manufacturing expertise. Producing high-performance magnets relies on tightly controlled melting, atmosphere management to prevent oxidation, and precise quench/ solidification control to achieve the desired grain sizes and phase distributions. Equipment must therefore deliver reproducible thermal gradients, robust vacuum/partialpressure control, and high uptime features that reduce process variation and enable materials engineers to optimise chemistries without compensating for equipment shortcomings.

Fig. 2 Global production of rare earth oxides, 1950-2000, (1 kt= 10 6 kg) [3]

Bastnäsite ore, Mountain Pass, California

Lateritic ore, Southern China

Scalability is another critical requirement. Laboratory success at gram-to-kilogram scales often does not translate to reliable industrial production. Thermal management, gas flow dynamics, and mechanical stresses scale nonlinearly, leaving systems designed for pilot work to fail when pushed to multi-tonne scale throughput unless engineered with scale-up in mind. Retech’s portfolio emphasises both process control and industrial robustness to bridge this gap from R&D to manufacturing.

Retech’s rare earth legacy

Retech’s heritage in vacuum metallurgy and powder production dates back to early efforts in reactive and high-performance alloys. In the 1980s and 1990s, Retech supplied vacuum melting and atomisation equipment to pioneering users exploring NdFeB magnet production. Those early installations demonstrated the company’s core engineering strengths: vacuum integrity, thermal management, and long-lived mechanical assemblies.

Over decades, Retech’s systems have melted the most challenging materials, including titanium alloys, superalloys, and amorphous metals, providing valuable cross-technology empirical knowledge. That experience translates directly to rare earth processing: understanding how to prevent contamination, manage crucible wear and induction coil efficiency, and maintain chamber atmosphere control is fundamental to achieving repeatable magnet precursor quality.

Recent investments, consolidated under the ‘Retech Goes Big’ initiative, expanded atomisation capacity, modernised control systems, and broadened service offerings [4]. Customers working with Retech commonly cite longevity, minimal downtime due to leaks, and straightforward maintenance as key differentiators. These attributes matter because they enable materials scientists and production

“Over decades, Retech’s

systems

have

melted the most challenging materials, including titanium alloys, superalloys, and amorphous metals, providing valuable cross-technology empirical knowledge.”

engineers to focus on process optimisation, microstructure control, alloy additions, and cooling rates, rather than on frequent equipment interventions.

Crucially, Retech’s market posture is to provide equipment and partnership rather than to claim process ownership. The company supplies flexible platforms that customers can tailor and iterate on, which supports innovation while ensuring that operations remain serviceable and secure over the long term.

Technology overview

NdFeB magnet precursor materials can be produced by multiple metallurgical routes. Choices around strip casting, melt spinning, and atomisation involve trade-offs among quench rate, throughput, particle/ ribbon morphology, and downstream process complexity. Each route requires appropriate upstream alloy preparation, typically vacuum induction melting, to deliver a homogeneous, high-purity melt.

Fig. 4 Lab-scale strip caster used to produce ribbon for amorphous metals (Courtesy Retech)

Strip casting

Strip casting solidifies a molten NdFeB alloy as a thin ribbon by pouring the melt onto a rotating, water-cooled copper wheel (Fig. 4).

Contact with the wheel produces rapid heat extraction; typical practical quench rates for strip casting are on the order of 10 3 K/s (approximately 1,000°C per second), although exact values depend on several key process parameters, such as melt temperature, wheel speed, and pouring rate. This produces a finegrained, columnar structure with a

well-dispersed, rare-earth-rich phase within the NdFeB matrix.

The cast ribbon is collected, milled or crushed into flakes (Fig. 5), and subsequently jet milled or blended into powders suitable for compacting and sintering. For sintered magnets, the powder particle size distribution, oxygen content, and microstructure control are primary determinants of final magnetic properties.

Strip casting offers robust throughput and is well-established for producing sintered magnet feed -

stock at industrial scales. Equipment is often engineered for semicontinuous runs yielding kilograms to multiple hundreds of kilograms per batch, making it attractive for manufacturers targeting high-volume markets such as EV motors and consumer electronics. Post-quench cooling is essential to prevent the growth of as-cast grains while the material is being batched.

One of the key engineering considerations for the strip casting process is to ensure atmosphere control during melting and transfer to the wheel, and more critically, limit oxygen and moisture uptake in the alloy. The microstructures produced are dendritic grains of less than 4 µm on the free side of the strip, compared to grains larger than 40 µm produced by ingot casting. Retech’s designs emphasise vacuum-tight melt chambers, tight partial pressure control, stable melt delivery, and wheel-surface temperature control to minimise the formation of undesirable material phases. Maintenance-friendly access, durable wheel drives, and reliable cooling systems underpin sustained operation, reducing unplanned downtime.

While strip casting achieves useful cooling rates and excellent scalability, it cannot reach the nanometer-scale grain refinement possible with some other rapid-solidification techniques. Consequently, for certain high-coercivity specialised alloys, additional processing or faster solidification may be preferable.

Melt spinning

Similar to strip casting, melt spinning also uses a high-speed chilled copper wheel to solidify the stream of molten metal (Fig. 6). The cooling rates for melt spinning, however, are far higher, approaching 10 6 K/s, producing nanocrystalline or amorphous ribbons [5].

Melt-spun ribbons (Fig. 7) are frequently used for bonded magnets (where the ribbon or powdered ribbon is mixed with a polymer binder) and for specialised

Fig. 5 NdFeB flakes produced on a production-scale strip caster (Courtesy Retech)

bonded grades that benefit from exceptionally fine microstructures. High-quality melt-spun material can deliver enhanced coercivity, enabling a reduced reliance on heavy additions, such as dysprosium, for specific applications.

The primary advantage of melt spinning is its ability to control microstructure. Rapid solidification suppresses coarse phase formation, refines grain size, and can enable alloy chemistries that would decompose under slower cooling. This makes melt spinning particularly valuable in R&D, speciality production, and bonded-magnet pathways. Melt spinning can be run continuously for days before tooling or refractories need to be replaced.

The melt spinning process typically yields lower throughput than strip casting and requires meticulous control of nozzle geometry, melt delivery, and wheel dynamics to produce uniform ribbon width and thickness. For large-scale sintered magnet production, melt spinning alone may not meet the throughput

Metal powder production for magnets

targets of automotive-scale manufacturers without considerable parallelisation or hybrid production strategies.

Plasma gas atomisation

Gas atomisation of rare earth powder is an emerging technology, and one promising process is Retech’s plasma gas atomisation. The PGA

melts elemental or pre-alloyed feedstock in a cold-walled hearth using a plasma arc under an inert atmosphere. The molten metal is poured through an atomisation die that breaks up the liquid stream into fine droplets using high-pressure inert gas. These droplets rapidly solidify into spherical powders with a controlled particle size, which

“The primary advantage of melt spinning is its ability to control microstructure. Rapid solidification suppresses coarse phase formation, refines grain size, and can enable alloy chemistries that would decompose under slower cooling.”

Fig. 6 Retech’s melt spinner used to make rare earth element ribbon for bonded magnets (Courtesy Retech)

Fig. 7 NdFeB ribbon produced on a Retech melt spinner (Courtesy Retech)

are then captured in a collection tote for further processing. These powders exhibit high sphericity, packing density, and flowability, which are advantageous attributes for Additive Manufacturing [7].

Quench rates for gas atomisation can be as high as a million K/s, producing nanocrystalline or even amorphous powders [8, 9]. PGA powders are highly spherical, uniform in size, and of exceptional purity. Spherical powders support higher packing densities and more consistent compaction behaviour for sintering or bonding, and are increasingly relevant to Additive Manufacturing research in magnets.

Plasma gas atomisation equipment requires strict control of melt delivery, gas composition, and quench environment [10]. Retech offers PGA solutions for R&D-scale batches up to large production volumes.

Centrifugal atomisation (spin cup)

An alternative powder process used to produce magnetic powders is a centrifugal atomiser, where molten metal is dispersed into droplets through the centrifugal force generated by a spinning disk. These atomisers produce highly spherical powders with a narrow particle distribution. This semi-continuous technology has been successful in producing large volumes of powder while maintaining low operational costs. Centrifugal atomisation of powder is accomplished by directing a stream of molten metal onto a horizontal, rotating cup, thus breaking up the stream and allowing the metal to solidify rapidly within the chamber. To achieve the desired microstructure, a substantial amount of quench gas (e.g. He) is utilised to attain the necessary quench rate. Their cooling dynamics and particle morphology differ from those of gas-atomised powders, offering magnet material producers an alternative processvariable flexibility.

Fig. 8 Top: PGA with powder handling machine; bottom: the same machine with the author, Aamir Abid (Courtesy Retech)

Supporting technologies

Vacuum Induction Melting and reduction furnaces are the backbone of alloy preparation. VIM systems minimise oxygen, sulphur, and other contaminants, and Retech’s reduction furnaces can convert oxide feedstocks into metallic forms suitable for downstream melting or atomisation. Precise control of melt chemistry and minimising dissolved gases are fundamental to achieving target magnetic properties.

Other supporting systems include alloy feed and weigh/blend systems, inert gas handling, controlled pour assemblies, crucible and induction coil designs optimised for rare earth chemistries, as well as automated sample and process logging for reproducibility. These components, often underestimated in importance, materially affect yield, consistency, and maintenance intervals.

Comparative advantages

Equipment reliability and integrity

Retech consistently ranks highly for mechanical durability and atmosphere integrity. In rare earth processing, chasing leaks or repairing distorted components can result in weeks of downtime; a robust design, domestic sourcing of critical replacement parts, and conservative mechanical tolerances reduce that risk. Uniform coverage of material on the casting wheel, robust swap-out mechanisms for the tundish, and active cooling drums are a few of the robust mechanical assemblies that enhance production while enabling customers to improve their processes continually.

Process flexibility

Retech systems are intentionally designed to be adaptable. Customers commonly iterate alloy compositions and process parameters over the years. Equipment that can accept varied feedstock forms (ingots, pellets, ribbons, or scrap) and support late additions without major redesign accelerates development cycles and lowers risk.

“In rare earth processing, chasing leaks or repairing distorted components can result in weeks of downtime; a robust design, domestic sourcing of critical replacement parts, and conservative mechanical tolerances reduce that risk.”

Scale-up

Scaling from 10 kg batch pilot systems to over 600 kg semicontinuous production furnaces requires understanding of how thermal gradients, stirring, crucible geometry, and gas flows must be adjusted with increasing size. Retech’s installations demonstrate that design choices made early (robust seals, flexible control algorithms, and modular maintenance access) pay dividends

during scale-up, reducing surprises and enabling predictable performance. Some systems achieve annual production volumes of over 1,000 US tons.

Service and partnership model

Beyond hardware, customers value accessible service, spare parts, commissioning support, and collaborative problem-solving. Retech’s approach to delivering machines, with an emphasis on

Fig. 9 Micrograph of a powder metal sample produced by plasma gas atomisation (Courtesy Retech)

“By minimising oxygen uptake, controlling cooling rates, and enabling precise late additions, Retech equipment allows material scientists to push toward lower Dy/Tb usage without compromising reliability.”

maintainability and hands-on support, aligns with the needs of manufacturers who build long-term capabilities rather than short-lived pilot experiments.

Reducing dependency on heavy rare earths

The strategic imperative to limit Dy and Tb usage motivates research into alternative paths to high coercivity. Two technical strategies are prominent: microstructural control through rapid solidification and grain boundary engineering, and targeted alloying strategies that utilise small additions or diffusion techniques to localise heavy elements where they are most effective [6].

Rapid solidification (melt spinning and advanced atomisation) enables finer grain sizes and more uniform phase distributions. Finer grains and controlled grain boundary chemistry can increase coercivity, sometimes enabling equivalent high-temperature performance with reduced heavy rare-earth content. Importantly, achieving these outcomes depends on the repeatability of the thermal processes, areas where equipment quality directly affects material performance.

Retech’s role is to provide the stable thermal and atmospheric platform necessary for these strategies. By minimising oxygen uptake, controlling cooling rates, and enabling precise late additions, Retech equipment allows material

scientists to push toward lower Dy/ Tb usage without compromising reliability. This contributes to both cost reduction and more resilient domestic supply chains.

Looking ahead

Innovation in magnet production will continue to be a combination of material science and pragmatic engineering. Retech’s near-term roadmap focuses on increasing automation, embedding digital process monitoring, and expanding atomisation capacity for tolling and prototyping. Improved sensor integration, closedloop control of quench conditions, and enhanced maintenance diagnostics will shorten development cycles and reduce unplanned downtime.

Collaborative initiatives, including industry consortia, governmentfunded pilot lines, and partnerships between OEMs and equipment suppliers, will accelerate the establishment of domestic supply. Retech intends to support these efforts through flexible systems, close technical collaboration that facilitates rapid iteration from lab to production, and even utilising their PGA toll atomisation capacity for customer support.

Where do we go from here?

Over the next several years, demand for high-quality neodymium magnets is expected to remain steady or grow. These magnets are a key input for advanced technologies, including robotics, space exploration, aerospace, medical imaging, and numerous military platforms. The supply of these magnets is currently geographically concentrated, resulting in price volatility and security concerns for downstream manufacturers. To address these key issues, significant strategic investments are needed to stabilise the price and supply of rare earth magnets.

Retech draws on its six decades of metallurgical engineering to equip those seeking to reshore

Fig. 10 Interior of the spin - cup/centrifugal atomiser, showing glowing - hot droplets that solidify into powder (Courtesy Retech)

magnetic materials supply chains. Its emphasis on high-quality, scalable engineering makes its systems wellsuited for customers seeking to build resilient, high-performance magnet capabilities in the United States and allied markets. By providing platforms that prioritise reproducibility and serviceability, Retech enables developers to focus on materials innovation rather than equipment troubleshooting.

Author Aamir Abid Director, Powder and New Product Development Retech Systems LLC Aamir.abid@retechsystemsllc.com www.retechsystemsllc.com

References

[1] U.S. Geological Survey, ‘Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025’ – Rare Earths. U.S. Department of the Interior , Washington, DC, 144–145

[2] MP Materials, ‘MP Materials Announces Transformational

Public-Private Partnership with the Department of Defense to Accelerate U.S. Rare Earth Magnet Independence’, Available at: https:// investors.mpmaterials.com/ investor-news/news-details/2025/ MP-Materials-AnnouncesTransformational-Public-PrivatePartnership-with-the-Departmentof-Defense-to-Accelerate-U-S--RareEarth-Magnet-Independence/default. aspx

[3] U.S. Geological Survey, ‘Rare Earth Elements – Critical Resources for High Technology’, Fact Sheet 087-02, U.S. Department of the Interior , Washington, DC (2002)

[4] Seco/Warwick, ‘Retech Has Been Pioneering New Domains In Powder Metallurgy’, Available at: www. secowarwick.com/en/news/retechand-powder-metallurgy

[5] J J Croat, ‘Manufacture of Nd-Fe-B Permanent Magnets by Rapid Solidification’, Journal of Less Common Metals , 148 (1989) 7-15

[6] J M D Coey, ‘Perspective and Prospects for Rare Earth Permanent Magnets’, Engineering 6 (2020), 119-131

Metal powder production for magnets

[7] Michael Jacques, Aamir Abid, Matt Stone, Geof Dusky, Carl Dotterweich, Bryce D’Alba, Francis Butry, Edward Ruszkowski, ‘Reduced Ceramic Inclusions Using PGA Systems of Aerospace Nickel Base Alloys, Retech Systems LLC , Buffalo, NY

[8] M Yamamoto et a l., ‘Production of Nd-Fe-B alloy powders using high-pressure gas atomization and their hard magnetic properties’, Metallurgical Transactions, Vol. 29A (1989), 5

[9] Aamir Abid, Matt Stone, Michael Jacques, Geof Dusky, Bryce D’Alba, Francis Butry and Michael Wojcik, ‘Oxygen Impurity Control for Reactive and Refractory Metal Alloys Produced on a Plasma Gas Atomizer’, Retech Systems LLC , Buffalo, NY

[10] J J Croat, ‘Rapidly Solidified Neodymium-Iron-Boron Permanent Magnets’, Cambridge, UK: Woodhead Publishing (2017)

Copper powder premixes for highperformance Powder Metallurgy applications in electric vehicles and renewable energy

Copper stands at the forefront of the global energy transition, playing a vital role in the electrification of transportation, the expansion of renewable energy infrastructure, and the continued miniaturisation of electronic systems. According to recent market analysis, the global copper powder market is projected to reach USD 1.11 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 4.3% [1]. This sustained growth is driven primarily by rising demand from the renewable energy and electric vehicle sectors.

Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) use more than twice the amount of copper found in internal combustion engine vehicles, primarily due to their high-performance electrical systems, battery packs, and the extensive requirements of charging infrastructure. Copper’s unmatched electrical conductivity, corrosion resistance, and durability also make it indispensable in applications such as photovoltaic panels, wind turbine generators, charging stations, power electronics, battery connections, and printed circuit boards (PCBs).

The ongoing adoption of 5G networks and the Internet of Things (IoT) is further accelerating the demand for copper in telecommunications. Copper is vital for signal transmission, electromagnetic shielding, and thermal management in densely packed electronic devices.

As the electronics and telecommunications industries continue to evolve and innovate, the demand for copper is expected to grow, supported by the development of advanced electronic devices, infrastructure and mobility.

Fig. 1 Powder Metallurgy enables the production of high-performance copper components that deliver excellent electrical conductivity and dimensional precision for electrified and renewable energy systems (Courtesy Pometon S.p.A.)

Powder characteristics and material formulation

Powder Metallurgy offers significant advantages in the efficient production of complex copper parts, especially where conventional machining may be cost-prohibitive or inefficient. With increasing demand

for high-volume, high-performance electrical components, sintered copper materials present a sustainable, cost-effective solution. At Pometon S.p.A., extensive experience in producing electrolytic copper powder (ECP) and water atomised (WA) copper powders has enabled the development of

advanced ready-to-press copper premixes. These premixes are optimised for traditional pressand-sinter processing routes and tailored to achieve excellent electrical and mechanical properties.

Sintered copper components are expected to play an important role in the ongoing transition from combustion engines to electric vehicles, as well as in the wider development of renewable energy systems and next-generation electronic and telecommunications technologies.

The properties of PM copper components are highly sensitive to a range of process parameters, including powder morphology, particle size distribution, compaction pressure, sintering temperature and time, as well as the composition of the furnace atmosphere. These variables not only influence the densification and microstructure development during sintering, but also directly impact key functional properties such as electrical conductivity, thermal dissipation, and mechanical strength.

Therefore, optimising these parameters is critical to ensure that the final sintered component meets the stringent requirements of modern electrical and electronic applications. A process that achieves high green density without compromising sinterability, for example, can significantly improve neck formation during sintering

Fig. 2 The properties of sintered copper components are strongly influenced by powder morphology, particle size distribution, compaction pressure, and sintering atmosphere (Courtesy Pometon S.p.A.)

Fig. 3 Morphology of copper powders: (a) water atomised copper powder, Cu WA; (b) electrolytic copper powder, Cu ECP; and (c) PMX X, a blend of both (Courtesy Pometon S.p.A.)

Table 1 Physical properties of copper base powder and its premix, apparent density determined in accordance with ISO 3923-1 (g/cm 3); NF: no flow (not measurable by Hall flowmeter) (Courtesy Pometon S.p.A.)

Table 2 Chemical purity of copper base powder, premix and compared to a conductive copper bar (Courtesy Pometon S.p.A.)

and reduce final porosity, which are crucial for achieving near-theoretical conductivity.

In this context, maintaining high chemical purity in the copper powder blend becomes a fundamental requirement. Even trace levels of impurities such as oxygen, sulphur, phosphorus or iron can severely hinder the movement of free electrons within the copper matrix, leading to a measurable drop in electrical conductivity. The premix developed by Pometon has been carefully engineered to preserve purity throughout the entire pressand-sinter process. By blending high-purity electrolytic and water atomised copper powders and incorporating a carefully selected high-density lubricant in minimal quantities (0.55 wt.%), the resulting premix not only facilitates efficient compaction and sintering but also ensures that the final component exhibits electrical conductivity levels approaching those of wrought copper.

As shown in Table 2, comparing the chemical purity of the conductive copper bar control and the

tested products reveals a high-purity copper composition. Higher copper purity directly correlates with higher electrical conductivity.

The addition of 0.55% high-density lubricant in PMX X was critical for improving green density and transverse rupture strength (TRS) after compaction.

Compaction behaviour

The key role of green compressibility is to achieve better consolidation in the material and higher electrical conductivity after sintering.

Fig. 4 shows the compressibility curves of the base powders and the PMX X premix developed by

Compressibility curve

Fig. 4 Compressibility curves of Cu WA, ECP, and PMX X powders. PMX X exhibits superior compaction behaviour at lower pressures compared with ECP (Courtesy Pometon S.p.A.)

Pometon. The PMX X powder exhibits very good compaction behaviour at lower pressures compared to ECP. Due to its formulation, PMX X also has a very good Green TRS (Fig. 5).

Lower compacting pressure allows copper powder PMX to achieve a higher green density, which subsequently aids in reaching a high sintered density. A compaction pressure of approximately 400 MPa provides the best balance between powder compressibility and the resulting sintered density, ensuring sufficient densification without overcompacting the material.

Low green densities, resulting from lower compaction pressures, permit copper particles to form more effective sintering necks, enhancing the sintered material’s electrical conductivity. As shown in Fig. 6, increasing the sintering temperature while maintaining the same compaction pressure improves densification and enhances electrical and thermal performance.

Sintering was carried out in a belt furnace under a controlled atmosphere of 75% nitrogen and 25% hydrogen. Following a series of trials with varying parameters, the optimum process conditions were established as a compaction pressure of 400 MPa, a sintering temperature of 1,025°C, and a hot-zone dwell time of one hour (belt speed = 20 mm/min).

Compressibility of PMX X

Sintered density vs IACS through temperature optimisation

Fig. 8 shows the effect of sintering temperature on the electrical conductivity, based on International Annealed Copper Standard (IACS), and the sintered density of PMX X under a constant compaction pressure of 400 MPa. Conductivity increases with temperature, reflecting improved densification. Fig. 9 presents the corresponding linear dimensional change (ΔL%). Greater linear shrinkage at higher temperatures confirms enhanced densification and improved electrical and thermal performance.

Fig. 5 Green transverse rupture strength (TRS) of PMX X at different compaction pressures (Courtesy Pometon S.p.A.)

Fig. 6 Sintered density of PMX X at different sintering temperatures (985°C, 1,005°C, and 1,025°C) under a constant compaction pressure of 400 MPa (Courtesy Pometon S.p.A.)

Fig. 7 Compressibility of PMX X at different compaction pressures (Courtesy Pometon S.p.A.)

PMX X :IACS% vs Temperature @400 MPa

Influence of sintering atmosphere

Atmospheres used during sintering must perform several essential functions to ensure consistent part quality and material integrity. Beyond simply preventing air ingress into the furnace, the atmosphere facilitates the removal of lubricants and binders from the compacted parts, known as delubrication or dewaxing.

A well-controlled atmosphere also helps to reduce surface oxides on powder particles, a critical step for achieving strong interparticle bonding and high electrical conductivity in copper-based materials. In ferrous systems, it enables precise control of carbon levels – both at the surface and within the core of steel parts – and, in certain specialised cases, facilitates either decarburisation or controlled oxidation during the cooling phase. Finally, the sintering atmosphere serves a thermal function, conveying and removing heat efficiently and uniformly throughout the furnace, which ensures dimensional stability and repeatable densification results.

Sintering metals requires a controlled atmosphere; it is never performed in air or in an oxygenrich atmosphere, which protects metal parts from oxidation. This atmosphere must be maintained at adequate pressure and flow to prevent air from entering through furnace openings. In addition to preventing oxidation, it provides conduction and convection for uniform heat transfer, ensuring even heating or cooling within the furnace zones [3].

To assess the influence of hydrogen concentration in the furnace atmosphere, PMX X was sintered under different H 2–N 2 ratios. As shown in Fig. 10, varying the hydrogen content from 25% to 75% had little effect on electrical conductivity, which remained close to 90% IACS. This confirms that PMX X exhibits stable performance across typical industrial sintering atmospheres.

IACS [%] S Density [g/cm3]

the sintering atmosphere on sintered density and electrical conductivity (% IACS) of PMX X (Courtesy Pometon S.p.A.)

Fig. 8 Electrical conductivity (% IACS) and sintered density of PMX X at different sintering temperatures (985°C, 1,005°C and 1,025°C) (Courtesy Pometon S.p.A.)

Fig. 9 Linear dimensional change (ΔL%) of PMX X as a function of sintering temperature (Courtesy Pometon S.p.A.)

Fig. 10 Effect of hydrogen content in

Sizing +30KN and +60KN

Sizing +30KN and +60KN Δdensity [%]

Sizing force and ΔIACS [%]

minor variations in powder flow, or furnace temperature gradients. Sizing effectively reduces this variability, allowing manufacturers to meet demanding geometrical specifications without resorting to costly and time-consuming machining operations.

In cases where the sintering process yields very low or near-zero dimensional change, the original compaction die can sometimes be reused for sizing. However, for most industrial applications, custom sizing tools are employed to accommodate minor adjustments and ensure dimensional repeatability across production batches.

Sizing force and ΔIACS [%]

Fig. 11 Effect of increased sizing force on

conductivity (% IACS) (Courtesy Pometon

Post-sintering optimisation

Dimensional accuracy in sintered components is a critical quality parameter, particularly in applications where tight tolerances are essential, such as electrical connectors, heat sinks, or mechanically interlocking components. One effective method to significantly improve dimensional precision after sintering is re-pressing, commonly known as sizing. This secondary operation

and

involves placing the sintered part back into a die – either the original compaction die or a dedicated sizing tool – and applying a controlled pressing force to correct dimensional deviations that may have resulted from sintering shrinkage or thermal distortion.

Even under tightly controlled processing conditions, some variability in final dimensions is inevitable due to factors such as inhomogeneous green density,

Additionally, re-pressing can serve a dual function when used for coining – a process in which specific surface features or textures are intentionally embossed onto the part faces that contact the punches. Coining not only enhances the visual or functional surface characteristics but also contributes to localised densification, especially at the edges or high-contact areas of the part. This localised increase in density is particularly advantageous for applications requiring improved wear resistance, surface conductivity, or mechanical reinforcement at stress-concentration points.

Moreover, re-pressing can be strategically applied to improve overall mechanical properties, especially when the initial sintered density is below target thresholds. By increasing density through controlled deformation, the part can exhibit better tensile strength, fatigue resistance, and dimensional stability in service. This step becomes especially valuable in mission-critical components used in automotive, aerospace, or high-performance electronics, where both electrical performance and structural reliability are nonnegotiable.

In cases where the dimensional change on sintering is controlled at or very near zero, sizing may be done in the die used for compacting the powder, but commonly, separate sizing tools are used.

Re-pressing is also used to imprint or emboss the face(s) of the component in contact with the punch(es), in which case the process is referred to, for obvious reasons, as coining. During re-pressing, the part’s density is generally increased, especially if the as-sintered density is low [2].

In some instances where strength and other mechanical properties are required to be at maximum, re-pressing is used principally to achieve such densification. The coining process is quite common in press and sinter manufacturing due to the dimensional tolerance required and also some mechanical aspects that this second step can bring to the material and its shape, such as increasing density through edges.

Increasing the green compacting force to 60 kN significantly improved part performance. This ‘sizing effect’ led to an almost 6% increase in density, which directly enhanced electrical conductivity by 2.5% IACS. These results demonstrate how optimising compaction parameters can improve both structural integrity and functional properties in Powder Metallurgy components.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that significant gains in electrical conductivity and densification of sintered copper components can be achieved through careful optimisation of the powder formulation, compaction pressure, sintering temperature, and furnace atmosphere. The development and testing of Pometon’s PMX X – an engineered blend of water atomised and electrolytic copper powders with high purity and tailored lubrication – has yielded a material system capable of meeting the growing demands of the energy, electric vehicle, and advanced electronics sectors.

These findings are particularly relevant as the copper powder market continues to expand in response to global electrification and decarbonisation initiatives. High-performance, high-conductivity copper components are now integral to multiple industries: in electric vehicles, they enable lightweight and energy-efficient electrical systems essential for improved range and reliability; in renewable energy installations such as wind and solar, they support efficient power generation and transmission; and in emerging 5G and IoT technologies, copper remains vital for high-speed signal transfer, miniaturised circuitry, and effective thermal management.

Powder Metallurgy offers a compelling manufacturing route for these industries, allowing nearnet shape production, reduced waste, and excellent scalability. Optimised copper premixes like PMX X enable manufacturers to tailor performance to specific application needs, especially in sectors where electrical conductivity and thermal heat dissipation are critical parameters.

From a broader perspective, integrating such optimised materials into industrial mass production can help reduce energy losses, improve product reliability, and accelerate the adoption of next-generation technologies aligned with sustainability goals.

Authors

Alberto Prete

Mirko Nassuato

Ivan Lorenzon

Pometon S.p.A.

Via Circonvallazione 62, 30030 Maerne (VE) Italy

Phone: +39 041 290 3611

info@pometon.com www.pometon.com

References

[1] Vrushali Bothare, ‘Copper Powder Market Size & Outlook 2024-2032’, Straits Research, 2024. Available at: https://straitsresearch.com/report/ copper-powder-market

[2] European Powder Metallurgy Association (EPMA), ‘Conventional Press & Sinter’, 2024. Available at: https://www.epma.com/what-is-pm/ powder-metallurgy-process/conventional-press-sinter

[3] ‘ASM Handbook, Volume 7: Powder Metal Technologies and Applications’, ASM International , Materials Park, OH, 1998

Attend the Only International Powder and Metal Injection Molding Event of the Year!

Innovation in different segments of metal injection molding (MIM), ceramic injection molding (CIM), and cemented carbide injection molding (CCIM), is responsible for the rapid growth of this technology. Estimated global sales are over $3.5 billion and could possibly double in a span of five years.

The objective of this conference is to explore the innovations and latest accomplishments in the areas of part design, tooling, molding, debinding, and sintering of MIM parts. The conference will also focus on the developments in MIM processing of different materials, including metals and alloys, ceramics, and hard metals.

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Securing the titanium supply chain: How PSI’s COLDMELT programme targets continuous powder production

Titanium’s global supply is expensive and vulnerable to disruption, while conventional titanium powder production processes can be slow and also expensive. Phoenix Scientific Industries (PSI) is addressing both challenges through its Innovate UK-supported COLDMELT programme, which applies cold-crucible induction melting to enable continuous titanium powder atomisation. As Bill Hopkins explains, by increasing throughput, reducing costs, and improving resource efficiency, PSI aims to strengthen supply chain resilience and support the growing demand for titanium powder in Additive Manufacturing (AM) and Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) applications.

Titanium is crucial for aerospace, defence, and clean energy, but global supply is expensive, limited, and vulnerable to disruption. Recent and emerging geopolitical events have prompted national governments to accelerate efforts to onshore and re-shore entire supply chains for critical metals and minerals – from ore extraction through to finished components. Among these strategically important materials, titanium stands out for its economic and security significance. For nations without access to their own titanium ore or the technology to produce primary metal, the priority is to establish a closed-loop recycling system for scrap components and manufacturing waste. In such a model, only a small proportion of virgin metal ‘top-up’ is needed to maintain supply chain stability.

National initiatives focused on reshoring, achieving net zero, recycling titanium swarf, and enhancing traceability are together driving countries towards a more sustain -

Fig. 1 Cold-crucible induction melting (CCIM) furnace at Phoenix Scientific Industries. The COLDMELT programme uses CCIM to melt titanium prior to continuous atomisation in PSI’s HERMIGA machine (Courtesy PSI)

“...conventional titanium powder production is batch-based – slow, costly, and wasteful. A transition to continuous titanium powder production would enable nonstop operation, higher output, and lower costs.”

COLDMELT project background and partners

PSI’s R&D programmes have been funded through a combination of Innovate UK support, single-client industrial projects, and the reinvestment of company profits. This steady, collaborative approach has enabled long-term innovation rather than isolated product development. The consortium is led by Phoenix Scientific Industries with BAE Systems, Proxima PM, and the

University of Greenwich. The initiative aligns with the UK Aerospace Technology Strategy’s Destination Zero objectives and benefits from steering input from Airbus Ltd, Spirit AeroSystems Ltd, Rolls-Royce plc, and GKN Aerospace Services Ltd. The results of CM2 will provide the foundation for COLDMELT 3 (CM3), the planned commercialisation phase.

able, secure, and circular titanium economy. Additionally, conventional titanium powder production is batchbased – slow, costly, and wasteful. A transition to continuous titanium powder production would enable nonstop operation, higher output, and lower costs.

Phoenix Scientific Industries and the COLDMELT programme

Phoenix Scientific Industries (PSI), a UK-based equipment supplier to the Powder Metallurgy industry, has supplied gas atomisation plants worldwide for more than thirty-five years. The company’s technology has supported developments in both research and full-scale industrial production, giving it extensive experience in atomising a wide range of metals and alloys.

Building on this foundation, PSI has developed the COLDMELT programme – a strategically motivated, multi-phase initiative to establish a continuous, low-cost titanium powder production route for Additive Manufacturing and Hot Isostatic Pressing applications. The project sits within Innovate UK project 10082822 , ‘Continuous melting and atomisation of titanium alloys,’ which began in November 2023. The COLDMELT programme, supported by the Aerospace Technology Institute Funding Programme, progresses through three stages:

• CM1: batch-scale proof of concept

• CM2: continuous R&D development (current phase)

• CM3: commercial production and industrial deployment

The name COLDMELT refers to the cold-crucible induction melting (CCIM) technology at the heart of the process. In this approach, induction heating melts titanium within water-cooled copper alloy crucibles, which in turn feed the molten metal to argon atomisation nozzles to produce fine droplets that solidify

Fig. 2 A PSI HERMIGA atomiser equipped with CM1 technology (Courtesy PSI)

into spherical powder within PSI’s HERMIGA gas atomiser.

Building on the batch demonstrations achieved under its earlier COLDMELT 1 (CM1) programme, the company’s latest initiative – COLDMELT 2 (CM2) – represents a key step towards continuous titanium powder production and forms part of a wider Innovate UK-supported effort to advance scalable, efficient metal supply chains.

CM1: proof of concept

CM1 proved PSI’s ability to atomise titanium in batch mode, producing powder of aerospacegrade purity while demonstrating control of interstitials such as oxygen and carbon, and minimising refractory inclusions. It also showed that certified titanium scrap could be reused as feedstock and that new alloy variants could be developed from sponge and elemental precursors.

However, at the conclusion of CM1, much work remained to achieve a step-change in powder production cost and yield, particularly in the finer size fractions required for Laser Powder Bed Fusion (PBF - LB). CM2 advances the technology from batch to continuous operation, integrating CCIM in direct line with atomisation to increase throughput and consistency while maintaining purity.

CM2: continuous titanium powder production

In CM2, the melt flows directly from the CCIM furnace into an atomisation nozzle system, where high-pressure argon gas disintegrates the stream into fine droplets that rapidly solidify into spherical powder within PSI’s HERMIGA gas atomiser.

“...at the conclusion of CM1, much work remained to achieve a step-change in powder production cost and yield, particularly in the finer size fractions required for PBF-LB. CM2 advances the technology

from batch to continuous operation,

integrating CCIM

in direct line with atomisation to increase throughput and consistency

while maintaining purity.”

Fig. 3 The PSI R&D titanium atomiser, shown during an atomisation run, fitted with COLDMELT technology (Courtesy PSI)

COLDMELT 2 was conceived following a visit to PSI by a leading aerospace prime manufacturing both military and civilian aircraft. The company required a relatively coarse powder for Hot Isostatic Pressing applications, to a demanding aerospace specification. A specific airframe component had been identified, and extensive technical and commercial work had already been completed — but conventional forgings proved unviable. The client, therefore, defined a target powder price that would make the application commercially feasible. Meeting that price required a complete rethink of the production model. The cost of powder depends on both operating costs (OPEX), including raw materials, atomising gas, and labour, and capital costs (CAPEX), which are the investments in plant and facilities. To achieve the required economics PSI redesigned the process to integrate continuous melting and atomisation, improving throughput and utilisation while minimising downtime.

With CM2 now underway in the active R&D phase, PSI and its partners are demonstrating the scalability of continuous titanium powder production in CM3.

Technical

context: PM aerospace applications – early challenges to modern solutions

Those familiar with the history of Powder Metallurgy will recall that its early aerospace applications faced significant challenges. When Powder Metallurgy was first used to produce nickel alloy parts for the high-temperature (‘hot section’) areas of gas turbines, several early components failed unexpectedly. The issue lay in the surface condition of the metal powder itself – thin oxide films, trapped gases, or other impurities on each particle. During consolidation (the process of pressing and heating the powder to form a solid

part), these surface defects did not fully bond or dissolve, leaving weak interfaces within the material. Under stress and high temperature, these imperfections acted as initiation sites for cracks, leading in some cases to catastrophic failures in service.

Readers may also recall the issue of prior particle boundaries (PPBs) in turbine discs. These are thin boundary layers that form where powder particles fail to fully fuse during consolidation. Without the beneficial mechanical working of the consolidated material – for example, by forging the powder-derived blanks – these boundaries remain in the finished part. As a result, the fine and uniform microstructure produced by atomisation cannot be fully realised, reducing ductility and fatigue strength compared with conventionally wrought alloys. In the worst cases, the powder route could also introduce exogenous inclusions or other surface contaminants that led to poor

Fig. 4 In China, a newly installed gas atomiser enables the production of advanced and novel alloy compositions (Courtesy PSI)

ductility, premature crack initiation, and eventual failure. While such issues were less critical in early PM applications such as automotive or tooling components, they were unacceptable in the safety-critical aerospace sector, which therefore led a cautious approach to the use of powder routes for nickel, titanium, and aluminium based alloys.

Another concern was argon entrapment – the possibility that argon gas, used in atomisation, might become trapped as bubbles in the finished component and create stress-inducing flaws. However, recent detailed studies on titanium powder HIP airframe components have shown this issue to be far less significant than once feared, at least for parts operating at ambient temperatures. Instead, inclusions from the primary extraction of the metal have been identified as the more likely cause of performance limitations.

Technical features of COLDMELT 2

The considerations outlined above led to the development and establishment of the CM2 process and the definition of its key technical milestones.

Continuous production for lower cost

Across manufacturing industries (from food to pharmaceuticals and automotive), continuous, automated production is proven to reduce costs. Titanium powder production is no exception. Today, however, most metal powders are still produced in batches: metal is melted and poured into an atomiser, with production frequently pausing to refurbish handling components such as refractories. This stop-start operation increases capital cost since melting and atomisation occur sequentially, and plant utilisation remains low.

PSI has already tackled this challenge in the steel powder industry, developing a mobile induction furnace capable of transferring

“...most metal powders are still produced

in batches: metal is melted and poured into an atomiser, with production frequently pausing to refurbish handling components such as refractories. This stop-start operation increases capital cost since melting and atomisation occur sequentially, and plant utilisation remains low.”

Fig. 5 PSI’s powder hoppers, fitted with smart sensors, mounted on a HERMIGA 120/250 V3I atomiser (Courtesy PSI)

“As future supplies of virgin bar stock cannot be guaranteed, CM2 has been designed to process a range of recycled feedstocks. This is available in two main forms: machining swarf from manufacturing operations and end-oflife titanium components.”

1,000 tonnes, avoiding the metal losses typical of batch production and delivering a highly competitive production rate-to-CAPEX ratio. Because the system is ceramic- and refractory-free, it can run almost continuously, requiring only infrequent maintenance of ancillary systems.

Feedstock flexibility: enabling recycling and traceability

As future supplies of virgin bar stock cannot be guaranteed, CM2 has been designed to process a range of recycled feedstocks. This is available in two main forms: machining swarf from manufacturing operations and end-of-life titanium components.

Machining swarf from turning, drilling, and milling is produced by the aerospace titanium industry in quantities that exceed the volume used in PM components. Much of this scrap is exported for remelting into titanium-containing alloys and is therefore lost to the titanium PM recycling opportunity. The CM2 process accommodates the cleaning and consolidation of such swarf, followed by melting and atomisation at the same rate as solid rod feedstock. Naturally, this material is available at only a fraction of the cost of virgin bar, offering a significant reduction in operating costs.

Suppose this scrap originates from sources of known provenance in terms of quality and technocommercial stability. In that case, it lends confidence and credibility to titanium PM component makers seeking to expand the PM route and displace machining and forging. One can readily imagine large aerospace and defence primes, together with their subcontractors, being more willing to adopt titanium powder derived from their own machining swarf, ensuring traceability within a closed, virtuous recycling loop.

500 kg batches of molten steel from electric arc furnaces to gas atomisers for uninterrupted powder production. This experience positioned the company to minimise the capital and operating costs of powder manufacture.

CM2 applies a similar principle: titanium is continuously melted and poured from a single cold-crucible furnace into the atomiser, producing several kilograms of powder per minute. A single production line can achieve an annual output of around

It is also a reality that titanium alloy suppliers are forming commercial arrangements with component manufacturers to return swarf to the supplier. These partnerships supplement access to primary titanium and reduce dependence on less reliable

Fig. 6 Powder produced from this fuselage cowling was incorporated into the surface decoration of gold coins minted to commemorate WWII warbirds, one of which was later carried aloft by the author during a flight in a working Spitfire (Courtesy PSI)

7 A range of atomised powders (Courtesy PSI)

sources of raw metal. Machining scrap is expected to remain available at a suitable cost, at least in the short- to medium-term, and this capability is therefore included in the CM2 programme.

Another valuable source of feedstock is end-of-life components recovered from aerospace (civil and military), as well as land and marine titanium structures. These often have traceable provenance – sometimes referred to as ‘passports’ – and can be successfully incorporated into the powdertitanium cycle. Large structures can be reduced to smaller pieces of a few kilograms for automatic preheating and continuous insertion into the CM2 furnace. Cropped ends from hot-working titanium bar, once cleaned of oxide, also provide a convenient secondary source. Although many of the above remarks relate to aerospace titanium parts and their stringent requirements for chemistry and inclusion freedom, the high mate -

“Large structures can be reduced to smaller pieces of a few kilograms for automatic preheating and continuous insertion into the CM2 furnace. Cropped ends from hot-working titanium bar, once cleaned of oxide, also provide a convenient secondary source.”

rial utilisation enabled by Powder Metallurgy – using near-net-shape processes such as HIP and Addi

-

tive Manufacturing – is opening cost-effective opportunities in wider engineering fields, including medical implants. The market for non-aerospace titanium PM parts is expanding rapidly and is forecast to grow to at least ten times the size

of the aerospace sector, where powder quality requirements and feedstock origins may be more flexible.

Fine, consistent powders for AM

Powder fineness, expressed in median particle size, is critical to achieving high yields from the atomisation process – particularly

Fig.

“SPL is initially concentrating on civil aerospace and defence sector applications, deploying the variant of CM2 designed for commercial operation with a capacity of around 1,000 tonnes per annum per atomiser operation.”

in the size ranges required by the Laser Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB) sector of Additive Manufacturing (for example, 15-45 µ m and 15-60 µ m).

CM2 developments include two novel interchangeable atomisation methodologies. The first applies pressurised melts to enable gasassisted ‘single-fluid’ atomisation, using electromagnetically guided melt streams that are entirely ceramic- and graphite-free. This configuration is designed to reduce the median (d 50) particle size to around 30 µ m.

The second approach applies plasma energy, as described in PSI’s patent GB-2281233-A. This secondary tool increases energy within the atomisation plume and promotes finer powder formation. These developments position CM2 as the enabling step toward commercialscale continuous titanium powder production under COLDMELT 3.

The next phase: COLDMELT 3 and beyond

Within the CM2 programme is included an activity called, unsurprisingly, CM3 where the first commercially viable, continuous titanium atomiser will be established at a site in the UK. A new company,

Strategic Powders Ltd (SPL), has been formed to commercialise the CM2 technology, and its management team is now operationally taking the venture forward.

SPL is initially concentrating on civil aerospace and defence sector applications, deploying the variant of CM2 designed for commercial operation with a capacity of around 1,000 tonnes per annum per atomiser operation. The facility will be designed to run 24/7 with minimal downtime. In addition to processing forged barstock, it will have the capability to receive and pre-process a wide variety of scrap material into a homogenised feedstock. Built-in redundancy will minimise the risk of interruptions and support the high availability required for industrialscale production.

The facility is also designed for low CAPEX expansion to meet forecasted growth in titanium powder demand across aerospace, medical and dental, electronics, and automotive markets. Integral to the process, SPL will incorporate product development capability based on the existing CM2 atomiser. This will enable the company to collaborate directly with customers and partners on new product innovations and tailor powder characteristics to meet emerging application requirements.

Significant development has already been undertaken with early adopters in the civil and defence aerospace sectors, in partnership with HIP processors. It is anticipated that early market penetration will focus on these sectors from 2026 onwards, creating a platform for long-term volume growth and the future exploitation of other sectors.

A project of such scale naturally involves significant capital investment, and SPL is in the early stage of discussions with potential participants. Consistent with its founding objectives – to provide a secure and stable source of titanium powder – the venture is initially focused on collaboration within the UK and EU. Discussions with international organisations are also welcome, particularly those seeking to establish a dependable long-term supply of titanium powder.

Further updates on the progress of CM3 and the wider COLDMELT programme will be shared as the project advances.

Author Bill Hopkins Managing Director

Phoenix Scientific Industries Ltd Apex Business Park Hailsham East Sussex BN27 3JU UK

www.psiltd.co.uk

+44 (0) 1323 449001 info@psiltd.co.uk

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