Tungsten supply: Europe must act now
VDMA calls for a stronger European raw materials strategy
Due to its unique properties, tungsten is indispensable for numerous applications in the high-tech industry. At the same time, Europe’s supply of this critical raw material is coming under increasing pressure. The VDMA, the largest network organization for mechanical engineering in Germany and Europe, warns of the risks associated with heavy dependence on just a few supplier countries, which are currently reflected in market disruptions and rising prices. A secure raw materials supply is essential for industrial value creation and competitiveness in Europe.
In its current position paper, “A secure tungsten supply for European industry,” the VDMA therefore calls for targeted measures to make Europe’s raw materials supply more resilient over the long term.
The focus is on four key demands:
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Strengthening the European circular economy
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Securing access to primary raw materials
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Effective protection against state-subsidized dumping imports
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Improving the industrial framework conditions in Europe
Recycling and strategic partnerships for a resilient tungsten supply
CERATIZIT, a business area of the Plansee Group, is a member of the VDMA. The Plansee Group is the largest tungsten supplier in the Western world and has systematically made its raw materials supply more resilient over many years. Recycling plays a central role in this: 92 percent of the tungsten processed comes from recycled material. The Plansee Group keeps valuable tungsten in the cycle and reduces the need for primary raw materials. In addition, the company relies on long-term offtake agreements with mine operators to secure the long-term supply of tungsten.
“A resilient raw materials supply does not emerge overnight. The Plansee Group set important priorities for this more than two decades ago. For European industry to remain competitive and become more independent in the long term, reliable political framework conditions and effective measures for a secure raw materials supply are needed.” – Karlheinz Wex, Executive Board Chairman of the Plansee Group
Read more about the background and specific demands in the full VDMA position paper “Tungsten Supply Under Pressure: Europe Must Act Now”.
About the Plansee Group: Focus on Molybdenum and Tungsten
With its products, the Plansee Group enables applications at the cutting edge of what is technically and physically feasible – in electronics, medical technology, energy supply, mechanical engineering, the construction industry, mobility, and security and defense.
Headquartered in Reutte, Tyrol, the group specializes in the powder metallurgical processing of the high-performance materials molybdenum and tungsten. The value chain extends from the processing of scrap and ore concentrates through the manufacture of intermediate products and blanks to the development and production of customer-specific components and tools.
The Plansee Group, with its parent company Plansee Holding AG, unites two strong business areas:
· Plansee High-Performance Materials, specializing in metallic products made of molybdenum and tungsten.
· Ceratizit, focused on tools made of hard metal (tungsten carbide) for the trades, machining, and industrial manufacturing.
The Plansee Group ensures long-term security of supply for its key materials through recycling and long-term partnerships with mining operators. The Plansee Group holds a 31 percent stake in the Chilean molybdenum processor Molymet and a 10 percent stake in the tungsten mining operator Almonty.
With 11,120 employees at 36 production sites, the Plansee Group generated consolidated revenue of 2.35 billion euros in fiscal year 2025/26. The fiscal year ends on the last day of February.
Media contact
Dénes Széchényi
Head of Group Communications
Nr. +43-5672-600-2243
Mobile +43-664-81 52 598
denes.szechenyi@plansee-group.com
