US-made rare earth magnets shipped as eVAC reshoring milestone

eVAC

US-made rare earth magnets reached the commercial market as eVAC shipped its first batch from Sumter, South Carolina. The shipment marks a visible step in US efforts to reshore permanent magnet production. Therefore, US-made rare earth magnets now move from policy ambition to delivered product.

eVAC said the delivery represents the first commercial rare earth magnet production in the US. However, the company did not disclose shipment volumes. Meanwhile, customers in EVs, wind, and industrial motors keep pushing demand for stable neodymium supply.

Sumter South Carolina magnet plant scales fast toward 2026 output

The Sumter South Carolina magnet plant is ramping toward 2,000 metric tonnes per year by the first quarter of 2026. eVAC also plans to expand to six times that level in later phases. As a result, the Sumter South Carolina magnet plant could become a cornerstone supplier for North American manufacturing.

eVAC operates as a subsidiary of Germany’s Vacuumschmelze. That ownership adds technical depth and process know-how for high-performance magnet production. Meanwhile, US buyers value local manufacturing for lead-time and security benefits.

eVAC neodymium iron boron magnets link upstream feedstock to US demand

eVAC neodymium iron boron magnets rely on rare earth feedstock from MP Materials. MP supplies neodymium-praseodymium materials sourced from the Mountain Pass mine in California. Therefore, eVAC neodymium iron boron magnets connect US mining and processing to downstream magnet assembly.

eVAC also points to additional supplier partnerships, including Ucore and Aclara, to support expansion. However, qualification cycles and consistent feedstock specifications will still shape ramp speed. As a result, the reshoring narrative will depend on repeatable volumes and customer approvals.

The Metalnomist Commentary

This shipment matters because magnets sit at the chokepoint of electrification supply chains. However, real resilience requires scale, multiple qualified feed sources, and stable pricing. Therefore, eVAC’s 2026 ramp will become the true stress test for US-made rare earth magnets.