Compliance
Export Control
Compliance & Alternative Solutions
Overview of the Regulatory Situation
In 2025, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce introduced new export control and licensing requirements for certain heavy rare earths (HRE) and specific products manufactured from them. These measures have significantly impacted international supply chains for high-performance magnets, leading in some cases to longer delivery times and an increased administrative burden.
To ensure the most reliable supply and stable supply chains for our customers even under these framework conditions, Spacemagnets Europe GmbH pursues a two-pronged approach that is guided by the respective technical, logistical, and economic requirements.
Regulated Magnet Grades
Path 1: Products with Regulated Elements – Support for Compliance and Export Clearance
If your application absolutely requires magnets with regulated heavy rare earths, we provide comprehensive support in preparing and handling the necessary export clearance or licensing procedure.
Support for Documentation and Compliance
Applying for export clearance can involve considerable administrative effort. Our team will therefore guide you through the entire documentation process:
- We handle the preparation and coordination of the required documents, unless they need to be completed or signed by the customer themselves.
- We provide clear instructions, templates, and guidance for the necessary application documents.
- We actively monitor the processing status and strive to identify and prevent incomplete submissions or avoidable delays early on.
- Even for magnet grades that currently do not require an export license, we can prepare supplementary evidence, such as material or chemical certificates, to best support customs clearance.
Our goal is to keep the administrative effort for our customers as low as possible while ensuring the smoothest possible processing of export formalities.
Alternative Solutions
Path 2: Alternative Product and Procurement Solutions
To reduce the delivery times associated with export licensing procedures, which can sometimes be difficult to predict, we work with our customers to examine alternative technical and product-specific solutions.
HREE-free NdFeB Magnets up to 48SH
Through optimized material compositions and manufacturing processes, we can produce certain high-performance NdFeB magnets up to 48SH grade without the use of regulated heavy rare earths.
For suitable applications, such an HRE-free design can significantly simplify export processing while reducing dependence on regulated materials.
Our engineering teams will assist you in determining whether an HRE-free magnet grade is technically suitable for your specific application.
Transition to Magnetic Assemblies
Depending on the application, the supply of complete magnetic assemblies instead of individual magnets can also be an interesting alternative. In addition to technical and logistical advantages, this can also result in a different regulatory assessment, depending on the product structure, material composition, and customs or export law classification. Together with our customers, we therefore examine whether a transition to a magnetic assembly is technically sensible and economically advantageous.
Alternative Materials and Material Concepts
For applications with particularly high demands on temperature resistance, corrosion protection, or long-term stability, we also support you in evaluating alternative magnetic materials and material concepts. For example, it can be examined whether the dependence on regulated HRE-containing NdFeB magnets can be reduced by adapting the magnet grade, magnet geometry, magnetic circuit, or the entire motor design. Our goal is to reliably ensure the required technical function while enabling the most stable and predictable supply chain possible.
Technical Consultation Already in the Development Phase
The effects of export controls can often be reduced as early as the product development stage. Our engineering teams in Hürth support you with:
the selection of a suitable magnet grade,
the evaluation of HRE-free alternatives,
the design and optimization of the magnetic circuit,
the selection of suitable coatings and material concepts,
the development of magnetic assemblies, and
the early planning of the most secure and flexible supply chain possible.
Through early technical coordination, potential risks can often be taken into account before series production begins.
Our Goal: Supply Security and Planning Reliability
Our aim is to offer you a technically suitable, economically viable, and as predictable a supply solution as possible, even under changed regulatory conditions.
With our two-way strategy, we combine:
Compliance support for regulated magnet grades
Alternative technical solutions to reduce dependence on HREE-containing materials
In doing so, we combine material expertise, engineering support, experience in export processing, and flexible procurement strategies to develop the right solution for your application together with you.