Chinese company plans production of the technology metal in Bad Leonfelden.
Chinese group JP Tech plans to produce hafnium in Bad Leonfelden in Upper Austria, according to a report by Austrian public broadcaster ORF. The first phase of the project is expected to create 20 jobs. The technology metal is used in so-called superalloys, which are valued for their thermal stability and corrosion resistance. The aerospace industry is one of the main consumers of these alloys. Hafnium is also used in nuclear energy and semiconductor technology.
Hafnium is one of the few critical raw materials in which China has so far held only a comparatively small market position. According to EU data, France alone accounts for nearly half of global production. With its planned facility in Austria, JP Tech would therefore be entering a segment that has so far been dominated largely by European producers. At the same time, the company aims to strengthen its position in the European market and supply customers with high-purity hafnium from Austria in the future.
In February, the company received construction approval for a facility in China’s Jiangsu province that will produce high-purity hafnium materials for the aerospace and semiconductor industries.
Photo: sanches812 via Canva
