Freemelt secures $3M order from ESS for 7,000 tungsten-based components
Freemelt, headquartered in Göteborg, Sweden, has received an SEK 28 million ($3 million) order from the European Spallation Source (ESS), one of Europe’s largest research infrastructures, for the manufacture of 7,000 tungsten-based components. Deliveries are scheduled across a 14-month period, with the majority planned for 2027.
The components will be used in ESS’s target wheel system, where neutrons are produced when the proton beam from the facility’s accelerator strikes the tungsten material. These neutrons enable researchers to study materials at the atomic level and are used in research that can contribute to new solutions in areas including energy, health and industry.
Tungsten’s high melting point, thermal conductivity and resistance to thermal, mechanical and radiation-related stresses make it well suited to this application, despite the components having a finite operational life. This recurring replacement requirement creates a long-term need for new production and may generate future business opportunities.
“The order from ESS is an important validation of Freemelt’s expanded strategy and demonstrates that our combination of E-PBF technology, tungsten expertise and industrial delivery capabilities meets the demanding requirements of advanced research infrastructure. It confirms the market shift we are seeing, with customers increasingly seeking qualified manufacturing capacity and robust regional supply chains. This strengthens our conviction that Freemelt is well positioned to build Europe’s industrial platform for advanced metal components,” said Daniel Gidlund, CEO of Freemelt.
Freemelt has also recently received an order from Fusion for Energy (F4E), the European organisation responsible for Europe’s contribution to ITER and the development of fusion energy, to manufacture 33,000 tungsten-based fusion components for the JT-60SA fusion programme.
