Niron Magnetics breaks ground on Iron Nitride plant

Niron Magnetics has broken ground on a 190,000-square-foot, 1,500-ton-per-year permanent magnet manufacturing facility in Sartell, Minnesota.
After nearly a decade of R&D with the U.S. Department of Energy and the University of Minnesota, the company has commercialized Iron Nitride — a high‑magnetization material that eliminates the need for rare-earth elements and can be produced from abundant iron and nitrogen.
The Sartell site, built on the former Verso Paper Mill, will supply rare‑earth‑free magnets for data-center cooling pumps, electric vehicle motors, robotics, consumer electronics, defense systems and drones. The expansion builds on a 2024 Minneapolis pilot plant and ongoing commercial sampling by partners and investors including Stellantis, Samsung, Allison Transmission and Magna.
The plant is scheduled to begin operations in early 2027 and is expected to create more than 175 full-time manufacturing, engineering and operations jobs. Wood is providing engineering, procurement and construction management and technical advisory services, while Ryan Companies is general contractor and Ryan A+E acts as architect for portions of the complex.
The project aims to strengthen domestic magnet supply chains and reduce exposure to geopolitical pressure on rare-earth materials by scaling a high-performance, rare‑earth‑free alternative.