Wood has secured the engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) contract for Niron Magnetics’ Plant 1 in Sartell, Minnesota — the world’s first full-scale Iron Nitride permanent magnet manufacturing facility.
This milestone project represents a major step toward establishing a sustainable and resilient domestic magnet supply chain in the United States.
Once fully operational in 2027, the Sartell Plant 1 facility will produce 1,500 tonnes of Iron Nitride permanent magnets annually.
These advanced materials will serve a range of high-demand sectors, including the automotive, defence, industrial motor, and consumer electronics industries.
The facility’s operations are expected to significantly bolster U.S. supply chain independence for critical magnet components that currently depend on rare earth materials sourced overseas.
Unlike traditional permanent magnets, which rely heavily on rare earth elements such as neodymium and dysprosium, Niron Magnetics’ technology utilises iron and nitrogen — two of the most abundant and easily sourced materials on earth.
This innovative approach promises a breakthrough in sustainable manufacturing, eliminating the environmental and geopolitical challenges associated with rare earth mining and refining.
As part of the newly secured EPCM contract, Wood will oversee project delivery from design through execution, providing integrated engineering, procurement, and construction management services.
The company’s role builds upon its prior involvement in developing the initial plant design, marking the next phase of collaboration between the two technology leaders.
John Day, President of Projects Western Hemisphere at Wood, commented: “The Sartell Plant 1 project is a game-changer for sustainable magnet production at scale.
“Having delivered the initial design, we’re now taking this project from concept to execution.
“Leveraging our EPCM expertise and first-of-a-kind scale-up experience, we’re enabling Niron Magnetics to deliver a high-production facility that reduces reliance on rare earths, helps power the future of sustainable energy and mobility, and creates.”
Plant 1 will serve as a blueprint for future Iron Nitride magnet production facilities, designed to scale efficiently as global demand for sustainable magnet technologies grows.
By focusing on a domestic, renewable supply chain, the project aligns with broader national objectives to strengthen U.S. manufacturing capacity and accelerate the transition to clean energy technologies.
With applications spanning electric vehicles, wind turbines, and defence technologies, Iron Nitride magnets are positioned to play a central role in powering the clean energy economy.