Energy Fuels agrees $1.9B VAC acquisition, Pentagon commits $725M to U.S. separation facility
Energy Fuels announced a definitive agreement on June 23rd to acquire Germany’s Vacuumschmelze (VAC) from private equity owner Ara Partners for $718 million cash and shares, putting a $1.9 billion value on the deal. Regulatory approvals, including foreign-investment and antitrust clearances, are expected to push completion to early 2027.
VAC is one of a handful of ex-China businesses with at-scale sintered NdFeB and SmCo permanent magnet production. Founded in 1923 and headquartered in Hanau, Germany, the company holds over 400 patents and serves more than 1,000 customers across defense, automotive, and industrial applications. Its Sumter, South Carolina plant, currently the largest permanent magnet facility in the United States, runs at 2,000 tonnes per annum of NdFeB block capacity, is built to 4,000 tpa, and carries a pathway to 12,000 tpa.
