Sourcing NdFeB magnets in France means understanding that there is no virgin French sintered-magnet production. The genuine French developments are upstream, rare-earth refining at Solvay and the new Caremag plant at Lacq, plus one recycled-magnet maker, MagREEsource. Everything else machines, assembles, or distributes imported magnets.
This guide separates the real French and EU producers from the import-and-distribute houses, and from the factory-direct international suppliers that carry the volume.
01 · What to look for
What buyers actually need from an NdFeB supplier
For a procurement engineer, the hard part isn't finding a company that will sell you magnets. It's finding one you can actually qualify: one that holds spec at temperature, ships certified to your industry, prices honestly, and keeps shipping when tariffs and export rules move. A supplier worth shortlisting covers:
EU rules and supplier diversification. The EU Critical Raw Materials Act sets a 2030 Union-level diversification benchmark: no more than 65% of annual consumption of each strategic raw material at any relevant processing stage should come from a single third country. This is not a present quota on an individual buyer or shipment. Check the requirements applicable to the actual product and transaction.
Certifications matched to your industry. Confirm the quality-system and submission requirements specified by your customer. Verify the current certificate, covered activities and named production plant with the issuer. The contracting supplier and certified production entity can differ; document their responsibilities and the production route.
Magnet cost and GBD. Grain boundary diffusion is evaluated against the required coercivity, material composition and magnet geometry. In a reported N45H specimen comparison, Hcj changed from 17.67 to 26.55 kOe and Br from 13.62 to 13.61 kGs. A new programme needs its own material validation and cost comparison; this specimen result does not establish a saving for another part.
European, recycled, or imported. French recycled (MagREEsource) and EU sintered (VAC, Neo) supply suit specific supply-security or sustainability goals but are capacity-limited; for most commercial requirements, qualified imported supply is the practical route.
Assembly vs. bare magnets. A finished, magnetized, balanced assembly built to your drawing removes magnet handling and magnetizing from your line, often worth more than the per-kilogram price.
Supply continuity and second-sourcing. A qualified second source can reduce dependence on one production route. Compare capacity, qualification work, material origin and delivery constraints for each route. Export approval and transit timing remain specific to the shipment.
The best magnet supplier isn't the one with the longest grade list. It's the one that can prove the grade holds at your operating temperature, certify it to your industry, and keep the line fed when the supply chain moves.
02 · The List
French Magnet Manufacturers & Suppliers
Mainrich International
Est. 1994 · International, EU/France sales presence (manufacturing partners in China)
Custom sintered NdFeB magnets and magnetic assemblies, reviewed against the drawing. Mainrich range N30 to N56, no AH grades; material, geometry and operating conditions confirmed together.
Best for: Commercial-volume NdFeB and assemblies, GBD cost reduction, second-source continuity
Certifications: Current production-plant certificate and order scope confirmed during qualification.
2.MagREEsource
Est. 2019 · Noyarey (Grenoble), France
France's only genuine NdFeB magnet maker, sintered magnets from 100% recycled feedstock (~50 t/yr, scaling); a magnet-to-magnet recycling loop.
3.Solvay (La Rochelle)
La Rochelle, France
Rare-earth separation and refining, the largest such plant outside China; produces NdPr and other oxides (feedstock, not finished magnets).
4.Carester / Caremag
Lacq, France
Rare-earth refinery and magnet recycling at Lacq (commissioning ~late 2026), targets Dy/Tb and Nd/Pr oxides, with a Stellantis offtake. Oxides, not magnets.
Shortlisting suppliers for a French program?
Send a drawing or a target spec and we'll quote the right grade or assembly, flagging any end-use restriction up front.
5.Vacuumschmelze (VAC)
Est. 1923 · Hanau, Germany (serving France)
Europe's leading sintered NdFeB (VACODYM) and SmCo producer; the realistic European volume option for French defence, automotive, and medical programs.
6.Neo (Narva)
Narva, Estonia (serving France)
The EU's first integrated oxide-to-magnet sintered-NdFeB plant (commissioned 2025); EV traction magnets for the European market.
7.Euromag
Saint-Pierre-d'Allevard, France
Historic French magnet house, AlNiCo, ferrite, SmCo, and NdFeB machining and finishing (NdFeB largely from imported blanks).
8.Braillon Magnetics
Est. 1921 · Sainte-Helene-du-Lac, France
Magnetic systems and assemblies, workholding chucks, lifting magnets, separators, built from magnet materials (not a sintered-NdFeB producer).
9.Newland Magnetics Europe
France (parent: Ningbo, China)
French sales and warehouse arm of a Chinese sintered-NdFeB maker, imported magnets and assemblies distributed in France.
Reviewing a second source?
Mainrich reviews the drawing, production route and shipment documentation for the proposed order. Qualification and delivery timing are agreed with your team.
10.Calamit (Aimants Calamit)
Paris, France (group: Italy)
Distributor and converter of NdFeB, ferrite, SmCo, and AlNiCo magnets and magnetic systems for the French market.
Suppliers are labelled by type so buyers can match a source to their end-use. Mainrich is listed first as our own recommendation for commercial-volume sourcing, and is labelled honestly as an international factory-direct supplier, not a domestic French producer. Company facts (location, founding year, certifications) reflect public information and may change, so verify current certifications directly with each supplier during qualification.
03 · Market
The State of French NdFeB Supply
The EU imports roughly 98% of its rare-earth permanent magnets, and only about 1,000 of the ~20,000 tonnes consumed each year are made in Europe. In France specifically there is no virgin sintered-NdFeB production: the only genuine French maker is MagREEsource (Grenoble), producing sintered magnets from 100% recycled feedstock at small scale.
France's weight is upstream, Solvay's La Rochelle plant is the largest rare-earth separation site outside China, and Carester's Caremag refinery at Lacq is commissioning around late 2026 (oxides, not magnets). The nearest volume sintered NdFeB serving French buyers is Vacuumschmelze (Germany) and Neo (Estonia). For most commercial volume, a French buyer is choosing a supplier, not a country.
04 · Our Position
Where Mainrich Fits
International factory-direct
Mainrich is an international supplier serving commercial magnet programmes through a production network we hold equity stakes in. Our sintered NdFeB range is N30 to N56, with no AH grades; grade, geometry and material route require drawing review. We coordinate loose magnets and assemblies, with inspection, production-plant certification scope, documentation and delivery confirmed for the order.
Production origin is stated for the proposed part. Our supply scope is commercial industrial applications, subject to end-use review.
FAQ · Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there neodymium (NdFeB) magnet manufacturers in France?
There is no virgin sintered-NdFeB production in France. The only genuine French NdFeB maker is MagREEsource (Grenoble), which produces sintered magnets from 100% recycled feedstock at small scale. France's other strengths are upstream, rare-earth refining at Solvay (La Rochelle) and the Caremag plant at Lacq (commissioning ~2026), while established French houses such as Euromag and Braillon machine, assemble, or build systems from imported material. The nearest volume sintered NdFeB serving France is Vacuumschmelze (Germany) and Neo (Estonia).
Does the EU Critical Raw Materials Act impose a 65% quota on a French buyer?
The EU Critical Raw Materials Act sets a 2030 Union-level diversification benchmark: no more than 65% of annual consumption of each strategic raw material at any relevant processing stage should come from a single third country. This is not a present quota on an individual buyer or shipment. Check the requirements applicable to the actual product and transaction.
Is it cheaper to source magnets in France or to import them?
Compare quotations for the same drawing, material, quantity and inspection requirements. Include tooling, qualification, freight, duties and delivery terms. The supplier location or use of grain boundary diffusion alone does not establish the lower delivered cost.
What certifications should a magnet supplier have?
Confirm the quality-system and submission requirements specified by your customer. Verify the current certificate, covered activities and named production plant with the issuer. The contracting supplier and certified production entity can differ; document their responsibilities and the production route.
How can GBD affect magnet cost?
Grain boundary diffusion is evaluated against the required coercivity, material composition and magnet geometry. In a reported N45H specimen comparison, Hcj changed from 17.67 to 26.55 kOe and Br from 13.62 to 13.61 kGs. A new programme needs its own material validation and cost comparison; this specimen result does not establish a saving for another part.
Sourcing NdFeB for a French program?
Send a drawing or a target specification. Our engineering team will quote the correct grade or assembly with real design margin, and flag any end-use restrictions up front. Human response within 1 business day; pricing within 2.