NIRON MAGNETICS AWARDED $400,000 MINNESOTA GRANT TO SUPPORT WORKFORCE TRAINING
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — May 6, 2026 — Niron Magnetics, the leading manufacturer of rare-earth-free Iron Nitride permanent magnets, today announced it has been awarded $400,000 through the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership (MJSP) grant program, administered by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). The funding will support workforce training as the company enters a new phase of growth and continues transitioning to high-volume manufacturing.
The MJSP program provides funding to support collaborations between businesses and educational institutions to train and upskill workers for high-demand industries. This award enables Niron Magnetics to build the specialized production, technical, maintenance, and safety capabilities required to operate at scale. The initiative also focuses on developing production and operations leadership to support multi-shift manufacturing and increasing operational complexity, while creating durable career pathways for its growing workforce.
“We are grateful for the continued support from the State of Minnesota,” said Jonathan Rowntree, CEO of Niron Magnetics. “Investments like this play an important role in strengthening domestic manufacturing capacity and ensuring companies like ours can scale innovative technologies here in the US.”
Over the next 20 months, Niron Magnetics will partner with Hennepin Technical College to deliver targeted training programs designed to prepare employees for the demands of advanced manufacturing environments. The program will support multi-shift operations and equip workers with the skills needed to grow alongside the company as it expands.
“The Customized Training Solutions team is excited to partner with Niron Magnetics to develop curriculum and provide training support. Opportunities to assist a company as it scales from development to large-scale manufacturing are rare and impactful,” said Jess Lee Niebuhr,
Dean, Customized Training Solutions Hennepin Technical College.”Niron stands to strengthen Minnesota’s and the nation’s economy while advancing environmentally responsible magnet production, and Hennepin Technical College is proud to support this important work.”
As demand grows for rare-earth-free permanent magnets, Niron Magnetics is scaling both its production capabilities and workforce to meet the needs of global customers and help strengthen domestic manufacturing capacity.
ABOUT NIRON MAGNETICS
Niron Magnetics is the world’s only producer of high-performance, rare-earth-free permanent magnets. The company’s Iron Nitride magnet technology delivers advanced permanent magnets that power essential devices across industrial, automotive, consumer electronics, and defense applications. Through its state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Minnesota, Niron serves leading manufacturers who require reliable, domestically produced permanent magnets for their products. For more information on Niron Magnetics and its technology, please visit https://www.nironmagnetics.com/
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