Deal volume of nearly two billion dollars; Western mine-to-magnet strategy gains momentum.
At Vacuumschmelze, a change of ownership now appears imminent. Energy Fuels plans to acquire Vacuumschmelze, a German magnet manufacturer, from investment firm Ara Partners. The proposed transaction has a value of approximately $1.9 billion and is expected to close in early 2027, subject to customary regulatory approvals. According to the company, the deal is intended to build an integrated Western supply chain for rare earths—from raw materials and separation through metals and alloys all the way to finished permanent magnets. This strategy aligns with the previously announced acquisition of Australian Strategic Materials (ASM), which operates a rare earth metals and alloys facility in South Korea, with another planned in the United States.
VAC would thereby complete the downstream segment of the supply chain and bring decades of expertise in producing magnets based on neodymium-iron-boron and samarium-cobalt, as well as manufacturing sites across Europe, North America, and Asia. The brand, corporate identity, and headquarters in Hanau, Hesse, are expected to remain intact according to Energy Fuels.
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