The Finnish company said the facility, to be built in New Hampshire, is intended to demonstrate the scalability and industrial feasibility of a proprietary technology unveiled earlier this year. The process eliminates the need for coke and decouples ore quality from final product quality, enabling the production of chrome metal from lower-grade ore.

Outokumpu executives said the technology could also be applied to other metals.

“With this technology, enriched ferrochrome is produced with a lower carbon footprint and can be used in meltshops or sold externally at higher prices compared to current offerings,” the company said. “The process also enables new production pathways for high-purity metals, such as chromium metal, which is applicable to high-value markets including aerospace, defense and energy sectors. Chromium metal is extremely hard and highly heat-resistant, making it suitable for demanding applications such as fighter jet engines.”

The pilot plant is scheduled for completion in the first half of 2027 and will produce both 65% enriched ferrochrome and chromium metal. Outokumpu aims to scale production from 1 kg/day to 1 ton/day at the facility.

If the pilot phase proves successful, the company plans to build an industrial-scale plant with an annual production capacity of approximately 10,000 tons. Outokumpu expects the industrial facility to be operational by 2029–2030, with full commercial potential of the proprietary technology realized from 2030 onward.

“We are proud to move forward, in line with our EVOLVE strategy, to produce low-CO₂ metals and advance along the chromium value chain,” said Stefan Erdmann, Outokumpu’s chief technology officer. “Backed by years of research, we are leveraging proprietary technology to target premium-priced, high-purity metals essential for demanding sectors. With limited Western supply and growing demand, we see a significant market opportunity for sustainable, high-performance materials.”