At metalcrafter MIMplus in Germany, a new focus is on producing powerful neodymium magnets in extraordinary shapes by using its expertise and extensive manufacturing capabilities in metal injection molding. While relatively new to the field of magnetics, the company is a well-established manufacturer of highly complex metal components and assemblies, with a manufacturing heritage that dates back more than 100 years.
It is an offshoot of OBE GmbH which is a leader in manufacturing intricate, precision-crafted components for the eyewear industry. OBE was founded in 1904 as a toolmaker for the jewelry industry and, since the 1950’s, has focused on precision components, notably, hinges for eyewear. Including MIMplus, OBE has about 550 employees and production sites in Germany, China and Vietnam.
MIMplus rare earth magnets open up new possibilities for future applications. The technology enables application-specific magnetic fields in combination with magnet geometries that were previously impossible or not economically feasible. The process includes hydrogen decrepitation and milling to produce fine NeDyB powder from the raw material, originating from recycling of scrap magnets or new magnetic material. Injection molding is applied to the base material with alignment of the powder particles along the magnetic field.
Key characteristics include high remanence and coercivity yielding high-performance magnetic grades for demanding high-tech applications. Free-form geometries and magnetic field guidance enable individualized magnets for specific designs, all encompassed by sustainable production using new material or recycled sources.
People are taking notice of its innovative capabilities. The latest recognition was in February at an exchange on magnetic technologies and industrial sovereignty at its facilities in Ispringen near Stuttgart where OBE is based. MIMplus welcomed Minister of State for Europe Gunther Krichbaum and other dignitaries to honor 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.”
“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 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 emphasized the importance of such a cluster from research and training perspectives.
In July, MIMplus won the VR-Innovation Award 2025 in the category of medium-sized and large companies presented by the Baden-Württemberg Cooperative Association. “The award is particularly important to us because the permanent magnets produced using the metal powder injection moulding process enable us to offer a completely new, innovative manufacturing process that is unknown to experts in current research and development departments. Our manufacturing process offers previously unknown degrees of freedom that enable new products. This is precisely why it is particularly important for us to be able to present the technology to a wide audience. The VR-Innovation Award gives us the perfect opportunity to do just that,” said Maurath.
Through industry participations and events, the company has been building interest in its magnets and process as it has been developing the technology and the range of its portfolio. It has been a partner in several government-sponsored collaborative projects in recent years such as ReProMag and SUSSMAGPRO. Upcoming will be an opportunity to highlight the capabilities at its exhibit at Global Industrie 2026 in Paris, held from 30 March to 2 April. The event brings together numerous decision-makers and future shapers from all over the world, focusing on state-of-the-art production, intelligent manufacturing and forward-looking technologies. For more info, see www.mimplus.com.
