"Do you know, the future is magnetic?," a Scandinavian colleague said to me some time ago during a meeting about a European project. Soft and hard magnetic materials are needed to generate and use electric current. For generators, electrical machines, actuators and sensors.

Renewable energy and electromobility are crucial for the transformation of the economy towards climate neutrality. The permanent magnets required for this and the associated industry play a key role. They have a major leverage effect and determine the efficiency and competitiveness of the systems. For example, 95% of all electric vehicles use permanent magnet motors (1 to 2 kg/vehicle) and 90% of offshore wind turbines (> 500 kg/MW).

The most powerful permanent magnets contain significant amounts of rare earth metals. According to the European Call for Action, the demand for rare earth magnets in the EU will increase by > 10% p.a. until 2030. The most important developed rare earth deposits are located in China, the USA and Australia. Germany is dependent on imports of rare earths at fair world trade prices.

It is in Germany's and Europe's strategic interest to have an efficient permanent magnet industry with independent, resilient supply chains. Germany still has a comparatively good position in terms of research landscape, know-how and production experience, but must quickly compensate for some serious structural disadvantages. It is important to ensure that there is no further migration of production and knowledge, but that value creation is built up in Europe.

In order to achieve greater technological sovereignty for Germany and Europe, also in the interests of military defense, and greater innovative strength in this important field, the "Permanent Magnets Expert Group" was founded. This group covers the supply chain from the procurement of raw materials to the production of magnets and from the suppliers to the users. The most important research and educational institutions are also involved.

The Permanent Magnets Expert Group is part of the Joint Committee for Powder Metallurgy, which is supported by the Powder Metallurgy Association (FPM), the Association of German Engineers (VDI-GME), the Steel Institute of the VDEh, the German Society for Materials Science (DGM) and the German Ceramics Society (DKG).

Experts will identify and discuss measures that will enable Germany and Europe to achieve greater technological sovereignty and greater innovative strength in the important field of permanent magnets.

These measures should, for example, strengthen the domestic magnet industry through appropriate framework conditions or the robust positioning of permanent magnet production along the value chain. The recycling of rare earth permanent magnets should also be promoted. Appropriate support programs should strengthen innovation and train young talent.

Permanent magnets are a good example of the leverage effect of materials for system innovations.

We invite you to join the Permanent Magnets Expert Group. Let's shape the magnetic future together!

Prof. Dr. Gerhard Schneider and Dr. Markus Schneider