Sourcing neodymium (NdFeB) magnets in Germany and the wider EU means starting from one number: by the European Commission's own account, around 98% of the bloc's rare-earth permanent magnets are imported, mostly from China. Genuine European sintered-NdFeB production exists, at Vacuumschmelze and, newly, Neo's Estonia plant, but it is a small fraction of demand.
Many well-known German magnet names specialise in bonded or ferrite magnets, or machine and assemble imported material. This guide separates the genuine European producers from the bonded-and-ferrite houses, from the international factory-direct suppliers that carry most commercial volume, so a German or EU buyer can match the source to the requirement.
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. Genuine European sintered NdFeB (VAC, Neo) and recycled NdFeB (HyProMag) suit specific supply-security or sustainability goals but are capacity-limited; for most commercial requirements, qualified imported supply remains the practical route.
Assembly vs. bare magnets. A supplier that ships a finished, magnetized, balanced assembly to your drawing removes magnet handling, magnetizing, and balancing from your line, often worth more than the per-kilogram price on the magnet alone.
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
German Magnet Manufacturers & Suppliers
Mainrich International
Est. 1994 · International, EU 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.Vacuumschmelze (VAC)
Est. 1923 · Hanau, Germany
Sintered NdFeB (VACODYM) and SmCo (VACOMAX) permanent magnets, produced in Germany since 1973, Europe's leading sintered rare-earth magnet producer with sintered NdFeB production in Germany.
3.Neo (Magnequench), Narva
Narva, Estonia (Neo Performance Materials)
Sintered NdFeB magnets for EV traction, wind, and industrial motors at its Estonia plant (commissioned 2025), the EU's newest integrated oxide-to-magnet capacity, ~2,000 t/yr scaling beyond 5,000 t/yr.
4.HyProMag GmbH
Pforzheim, Germany
Recycled sintered NdFeB, alloy and powder via hydrogen processing (HPMS) of end-of-life magnet scrap; German plant commissioning 2026 (~100 t/yr).
Shortlisting suppliers for a German 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.MS-Schramberg
Est. 1963 · Schramberg, Germany
Sintered hard-ferrite and rare-earth (NdFeB/SmCo) magnets, plastic-bonded magnets, and magnetic assemblies and system solutions.
6.Magnetfabrik Bonn
Est. 1932 · Bonn, Germany
Plastic-bonded and injection-moulded permanent magnets and magnet systems for automotive, a bonded-magnet specialist, not a sintered-NdFeB maker.
7.Max Baermann
Est. 1926 · Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
High-volume plastic-bonded permanent magnets for automotive (inventor of the bonded magnet), bonded, not sintered NdFeB.
8.IBS Magnet
Berlin, Germany
Permanent magnets in NdFeB, SmCo and ferrite, holding and pot magnets, separators, and magnet systems; custom and stock.
9.Tridelta Hartferrite
Hermsdorf, Germany
Hard-ferrite magnets and strontium-ferrite magnet powder, one of Europe's largest ferrite producers (ferrite, not NdFeB).
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.Webcraft (supermagnete)
Est. 2003 · Gottmadingen, Germany
Germany's best-known online magnet shop, stock neodymium and ferrite magnets, shapes, and magnetic systems (distributor).
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 German 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 German NdFeB Supply
Europe's NdFeB dependence is structural: roughly 98% of EU rare-earth permanent magnets are imported, and of the ~20,000 t the EU consumes annually only about 1,000 t are produced in Europe. The genuine European sintered-NdFeB base is Vacuumschmelze (Hanau), the long-standing European leader, sintering rare-earth magnets since 1973, and Neo's newly commissioned plant in Narva, Estonia (initial ~2,000 t/yr, scaling beyond 5,000 t/yr).
HyProMag adds recycled sintered NdFeB (Pforzheim), and Less Common Metals in the UK supplies the upstream NdFeB alloy. The EU Critical Raw Materials Act (in force May 2024) sets 2030 benchmarks for domestic extraction, processing, recycling, and supplier diversification. Around that core, Germany's established magnet houses are strong in plastic-bonded magnets (Magnetfabrik Bonn, Max Baermann), hard ferrite (Tridelta), and magnet assemblies and systems (MS-Schramberg, IBS Magnet), but for finished sintered NdFeB most import the material.
The practical consequence for a buyer: for most commercial NdFeB volume you are choosing a supplier, not a country, and the qualification questions below matter more than the address on the letterhead.
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 Germany or Europe?
Yes, but European sintered-NdFeB production is small relative to demand. Vacuumschmelze (Hanau) is Europe's leading sintered rare-earth magnet producer, and Neo's Narva, Estonia plant (commissioned 2025) adds new EU capacity; HyProMag (Pforzheim) produces recycled NdFeB. Many established German names, Magnetfabrik Bonn, Max Baermann, Tridelta, specialise in plastic-bonded or ferrite magnets rather than sintered NdFeB, and others machine, magnetize, or assemble imported material. By the European Commission's own figure, about 98% of the EU's rare-earth magnets are imported.
Does the EU Critical Raw Materials Act impose a 65% quota on my order?
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 Europe 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.
Should I single-source or second-source my magnet supply?
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.
Sourcing NdFeB for a German 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.