Construction was completed in late 2025 on a rare-earth magnet manufacturing facility in Sumter County, South Carolina, marking one of the first fully operational U.S. sites in decades. The facility expands domestic production for electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, and defense applications, strengthening the nation’s supply chain and reducing reliance on foreign sources.

The plant, operated by eVAC Magnetics LLC, is designed to produce neodymium-iron-boron and samarium-cobalt permanent magnets. The facility received federal support through a $111.9M Qualified Advanced Energy Project Tax Credit and a Defense Production Act Title III grant.

The project expands U.S. manufacturing capacity for rare-earth magnets. Asia, especially China, currently supplies most of the global market. The Sumter County site will employ about 300 full-time workers.

Following this, in February 26, 2026, MP Materials Corp. selected a 120-acre site in Northlake, Texas, for a $1.25 billion rare-earth magnet manufacturing campus. The “10X” facility is expected to create more than 1,500 manufacturing and engineering jobs and expand U.S. domestic production capacity for magnets used in electric vehicles, renewable energy, and defense technologies. The project also benefits from a 10-year offtake agreement with the U.S. Department of War and state and local incentives totaling roughly $200 million, reinforcing ongoing efforts to strengthen domestic supply chains.

eVAC Magnetics is part of Vacuumschmelze GmbH & Co. KG (VAC Group), a Germany-based producer of magnetic materials with facilities in Europe. The South Carolina operation will serve industrial and defense markets in North America.

Supply of high-purity rare-earth oxides

On November 3, 2025, Ucore Rare Metals Inc. signed an agreement with VAC and eVAC Magnetics. The deal strengthens North America’s rare-earth supply chain. The companies will connect Ucore’s refining sites in Louisiana and Ontario with eVAC’s magnet plant in South Carolina. Ucore will supply high-purity rare-earth oxides. eVAC will use them to produce permanent magnets for industrial and defense markets.

The partnership builds a regional production network and reduces reliance on Asian imports. It supports demand from electric vehicles and renewable energy systems. Executives say the plan creates one of the few closed-loop supply chains in North America.

Completion of the South Carolina facility adds momentum to U.S. efforts to expand critical-mineral production. Public and private investments continue to boost domestic refining and manufacturing capacity. Together, they reflect the nation’s shift toward electrification and cleaner energy technologies.

Vulcan Elements recently announced a $1.4 billion partnership with the U.S. Government and ReElement Technologies to expand a fully domestic rare earth magnet supply chain, and on November 17, the company revealed plans to build a $918.1 million rare earth magnet factory in Benson, North Carolina. While in Virginia,  On December 12, 2025, LS Cable & System announced a $689 million Chesapeake expansion to increase U.S. production of copper rods, magnet wire, and rare-earth magnets.

While the South Carolina plant focuses on magnet manufacturing, upstream rare earth supply is also advancing, with feasibility work underway at the Round Top project in Texas.

The United States is moving to reclaim leadership across strategic industries—from rare-earth magnet production to nuclear energy and advanced manufacturing—strengthening its position in global technology and supply chains.

Factsheet: South Carolina Rare-Earth Magnet Plant

Location: Sumter County, South Carolina

Operator: eVAC Magnetics LLC (VAC Group)

Partners: Ucore Rare Metals Inc. (Canada) and Vacuumschmelze GmbH & Co. KG (Germany)

Federal Support: $111.9 million energy tax credit; Defense Production Act grant

Jobs: Approx. 300

Operational Date: Early 2026

Products: NdFeB and SmCo permanent magnets