The Plansee Group has announced that Plansee US Holding Corp. and Manhattan Five Partners LLC have entered into a binding framework agreement for collaboration. The cooperation aims to establish a joint venture to create a strategic tungsten oxide reserve in the United States.
For the CERATIZIT Group, this is an extremely positive strategic milestone: It underpins the long-term positioning in the area of supply chain security – fundamentally resilient, recycling-oriented, and anchored in an integrated value chain. At the same time, it strengthens Western production capacities – and thus the foundation of the customer promise: stability and reliability in an environment characterized by volatility and increasing demands for traceability.
The initiative aims to ensure a secure tungsten supply in the United States and reduce dependence on foreign sources for critical minerals. It combines Plansee's industrial and technological leadership in tungsten oxide processing with Manhattan Five's expertise in structuring, financing, and managing large-scale infrastructure and strategic asset platforms.
As part of this initiative, Plansee intends to expand the production capacities for tungsten oxide at its US location in Towanda, Pennsylvania – Global Tungsten & Powders (GTP), a business unit of the CERATIZIT Group – to approximately 12,000 tons per year in a short time. The first deliveries are expected to begin in 2026.
A significant portion of the additional production volume will be used for the establishment of the strategic tungsten oxide reserve.
It is intended to meet the needs of government, defense, and key industries. Under the joint venture structure, Manhattan Five will take over inventory management, logistical infrastructure, and long-term asset management, while Plansee will lead the production expansion and delivery.
Integration and control along the value chain
The supply security of CERATIZIT is based on a fully integrated tungsten value chain as part of the Plansee Group – from tungsten powder to the finished tool – creating control over critical steps and reducing vulnerability to short-term market fluctuations.
Within CERATIZIT, GTP plays a central role in this model: As a business unit for raw materials and powders, GTP strengthens processing, recycling, and traceability capacities, ensuring long-term stability for customers in key industries.
Recycling-oriented supply as a strategic stability factor
CERATIZIT operates a recycling-oriented supply chain with a tungsten recycling rate of ~90% (fiscal year 2024/25). This circular approach reduces dependence on primary raw materials, lowers the CO2 footprint, and simultaneously strengthens long-term supply security.
Tungsten secondary raw material is collected, sorted, and processed by Stadler Raw Materials in the GTP facilities in the USA and Finland using advanced recycling technologies.
Responsible sourcing and transparent standards
CERATIZIT ensures that raw materials are sourced responsibly and transparently through RMI-compliant smelters and a strict supplier code of conduct. This supports compliance and traceability requirements in customers' supply chains.
What this means for CERATIZIT customers
• Stronger Western production capacities that ensure long-term stability and planning security
• Resilience through an integrated value chain and control over critical steps
• Recycling-based supply security through a tungsten recycling rate of ~90% (fiscal year 2024/25)
• Responsible sourcing and transparent standards through RMI-compliant smelters and a strict code of conduct for suppliers
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