Minister of State Gunther Krichbaum visits MIMplus

At the beginning of the year, MIMplus GmbH welcomed Minister of State for Europe Gunther Krichbaum, accompanied by Andreas Renner, CDU Pforzheim candidate for the state parliament, and Martin Kunzmann, former chief representative of IG Metall Pforzheim.
The reason for the visit was the company's award last September of a prestigious business prize for its development in the field of “High-performance rare earth Magnets in Metal Injection Molding.”

Magnets are key components in numerous future technologies. Permanent magnets made of rare earth materials are among the most powerful materials available in this field.

"MIMplus has developed an innovative process that enables these magnets to be manufactured in complex shapes with customized magnetization - a technological breakthrough that is unique in this form to date,"** says Dr. Johannes Maurath, Head of Research and Development at MIMplus.

Another key advantage is sustainability: Metal Injection Molding produces hardly any waste, and up to 99 % recycled material is used in the manufacturing process. This not only meets economic objectives, but also ecological ones, which are increasingly becoming a political and industrial priority.

During the event, representatives from the worlds of science, industry and politics discussed the prospects for a magnet cluster in Baden-Württemberg.
Prof. Dr. Carlo Burkhardt from Pforzheim University and Prof. Dr. Gerhard Schneider from Aalen University emphasised the importance of such a cluster from research and training perspectives.
A Centre of Competence – Innovation and Education Hub could serve as the core, bundling research, development, recycling expertise and the training of magnet experts, strengthening innovative strength and value chains, and reducing dependence on foreign – especially Chinese – suppliers.

A magnet cluster in Baden-Württemberg could help to establish strategic technological leadership in key industries, such as automotive and defence, create new jobs and improve sustainability by increasing recycling rates.

Professors Schneider and Burkhardt emphasised the need to systematically close gaps along the value chain and establish a European innovation and training centre for magnetic technologies.
The goal must be to train a significantly greater number of skilled workers and increase Europe's technological resilience.

Minister of State Krichbaum praised MIMplus' achievements as an example of the innovative strength of small and medium-sized enterprises in the region. He emphasised the importance of dialogue between politics and business, particularly in areas of strategic importance. He stressed that the issue of critical raw materials and technological sovereignty is highly relevant politically and will certainly continue to be monitored at state and federal level.

The visit highlights the importance of magnetic technologies for future industrial sectors.
MIMplus will continue to intensify its exchanges with partners from the worlds of science, politics and business, in order to drive innovation and strengthen Europe's sustainable, technologically independent value creation structures.