Niron Magnetics has broken ground on a new state-of-the-art 1,500-ton-per-year permanent magnet manufacturing facility in Sartell, Minnesota. After nearly a decade of research and development in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy and the University of Minnesota, Niron Magnetics has successfully created one of the first commercially viable new magnet materials in decades, capable of producing superior permanent magnets. The groundbreaking marks a major milestone in Niron Magnetics’ ability to scale manufacturing of permanent magnets made from Iron Nitride, which exhibits exceptionally high magnetization and removes the need for rare-earth elements.
The new 190,000-square-foot facility will expand Niron Magnetics’ capacity to supply rare-earth-free permanent magnets for data center cooling pumps, automobile motors, robotics, consumer electronics, defense and drone equipment, and other applications critical to the U.S. economy. The plant will be operational in early 2027 and will create over 175 full-time jobs in manufacturing, engineering, and operations. The facility will be built on the former Verso Paper Mill site, redeveloping a U.S. designated coal community property.
The development comes at a critical time, as pressure on rare-earth supply chains intensifies due to geopolitical tensions and rising demand for permanent magnets globally. Niron Magnetics’ product does not contain any rare-earth elements, and is made from abundant elements such as iron and nitrogen, enabling a resilient domestic supply chain, which makes it an attractive choice for manufacturers seeking supply chain security and high-performance alternatives to conventional rare-earth magnets.
“Friday’s groundbreaking represents a triumph for Niron Magnetics, the Sartell community, American innovation, and the future of domestic manufacturing,” said Jonathan Rowntree, CEO of Niron Magnetics. “We’re proud to scale this homegrown technology in the heart of the industrial Midwest, and excited to make this community central to America’s supply chain independence.”
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