Elmet to acquire ams OSRAM tungsten and molybdenum facility
The Elmet Group Co, headquartered in Portland, Maine, USA, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire ams OSRAM’s tungsten and molybdenum manufacturing operations in Schwabmünchen, Bavaria, Germany. The assets will be acquired through Elmet’s newly formed German subsidiary, Elmet Technologies GmbH.
The transaction will establish Elmet’s first refractory metals manufacturing operation in the European Union, creating a European production base for tungsten and molybdenum powder, rods, wire, electrodes and machined components.
Operating since 1961, the Schwabmünchen site has an integrated tungsten and molybdenum production chain covering powder production, pressing, sintering, swaging, drawing and finishing. The facility also includes an on-site materials laboratory for chemical and physical analysis.
“We are excited to welcome the talented Schwabmünchen team to Elmet and build on the expertise and capabilities they have developed over many decades,” stated Peter V Anania, CEO and Chairman of the Board at The Elmet Group Co. “We expect this acquisition to extend our vertically integrated tungsten and molybdenum platform into Europe, giving us a production base to serve customers there directly. It is intended to advance one of our key post-IPO objectives of expanding our footprint in Europe.”
European tungsten and molybdenum production
Elmet’s Critical Materials Components Division currently operates refractory metals manufacturing facilities in Maine, Ohio and Michigan, USA, with operations spanning powder processing, pressing, sintering, forming and machining.
The Schwabmünchen acquisition is expected to extend this manufacturing model to Europe and provide locally manufactured tungsten and molybdenum products for applications including defence, fusion research, semiconductor manufacturing, medical technology, automotive production and general industry.
Elmet plans to retain the existing Schwabmünchen leadership and operating team and invest in the site’s workforce, equipment, production capacity, quality systems and commercial capabilities. It also intends to expand the range of materials manufactured at the site to include TZM and tungsten heavy alloys.
“Schwabmünchen has a long history of technical excellence in tungsten and molybdenum manufacturing. I am happy that our great team from Schwabmünchen will become part of Elmet, an organisation committed to carrying this legacy forward through its people and capabilities,” stated Rainer Barthel, Managing Director of OSRAM GmbH.
During the transition, Elmet Technologies GmbH will support ams OSRAM and a recent spin-off under production agreements covering products currently sourced from the Schwabmünchen facility. Existing external customers are expected to continue to be supplied without interruption.
The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2027, subject to customary regulatory approvals and completion of transition activities required for the Schwabmünchen facility to operate on a standalone basis.
