Niron Magnetics

Niron Magnetics is a Minneapolis, MN-based advanced manufacturing company commercializing the world's first high-performance, rare-earth-free permanent magnets using Iron Nitride (Fe₁₆N₂) chemistry. Founded in 2013 through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy and the University of Minnesota, Niron has spent over a decade translating laboratory breakthroughs into repeatable, industrial-scale production processes. Its flagship product, the Clean Earth Magnet®, is engineered to replace traditional rare earth magnets across a wide range of applications including industrial motors and generators, robotics and automation, electric vehicle traction motors, aerospace and defense actuators, thermal management systems, audio equipment, and AI infrastructure/data centers. Niron controls the full production chain - from commodity feedstocks to finished magnets - under one roof, and has built the world's largest Iron Nitride IP portfolio with 150+ patents.

The company's technology is strategically critical because today's permanent magnet supply chain is dominated by rare earth elements (primarily neodymium and dysprosium) that are almost entirely mined and processed in China, creating severe geopolitical and supply chain vulnerabilities for U.S. industry and defense. Iron Nitride magnets are made from iron and nitrogen - two of the most abundant elements on Earth - enabling a fully domestic, secure supply chain that eliminates dependence on Chinese rare earth exports. Niron is actively manufacturing and sampling customers from a commercial pilot plant in Minneapolis, has broken ground on a 1,500-ton/year full-scale plant in Sartell, MN (opened September 2025), and is initiating site selection for a second high-volume plant targeting 10,000 tons/year capacity - representing up to $1.8 billion in capital investment and 700+ jobs. CEO Jonathan Rowntree testified before the U.S. House Select Committee on Strategic Competition with China in November 2025.

Niron's significance to the U.S. energy supply chain cannot be overstated. Permanent magnets are foundational components in wind turbines, EV motors, industrial generators, defense systems, and emerging robotics and AI infrastructure - sectors that face a projected critical shortage within five years as demand dramatically outpaces supply. By establishing a scalable, domestically produced alternative to rare earth magnets that matches or exceeds their performance, Niron is addressing one of the most acute vulnerabilities in the American energy and manufacturing supply chain. The company has attracted investment from major automotive OEMs, government agencies, and strategic partners, and has garnered bipartisan congressional recognition with landmark legislation creating the first U.S. policy framework explicitly supporting rare-earth-free permanent magnet technologies.