Freemelt has received an order from Alsymex, a subsidiary of the French technology group ALCEN and a strategic supplier to the ITER fusion energy project. The order represents an initial step in the qualification of advanced tungsten components for future ITER applications. The order value amounts to SEK 3,3 million, with final delivery scheduled for the first quarter of 2027.
Tungsten is a critical material for future fusion reactors due to its ability to withstand extreme temperatures and demanding operating environments. Following ITER's decision to transition from beryllium to tungsten in plasma-facing applications, a number of qualification activities are underway to evaluate advanced tungsten materials and components for future reactor systems.
The project forms part of the Small Scale Mock-up (SSMK) programme, an early qualification campaign supporting the introduction of tungsten in ITER. Freemelt will manufacture and deliver subassemblies consisting of tungsten bricks joined to copper substrates for subsequent bonding and high heat flux testing. The objective is to support the qualification of advanced tungsten components for future fusion energy applications.
"This project represents an important milestone in the ongoing qualification of tungsten for fusion energy applications. Being selected to contribute to one of the first ITER-related qualification programmes validates both our materials expertise and our capability to manufacture advanced tungsten components for demanding industrial applications," says Daniel Gidlund, CEO of Freemelt.
Fusion energy is one of Freemelt's strategic growth markets. Through its Production Systems business, Freemelt develops application expertise, process know-how and material knowledge in collaboration with industrial customers and research organisations. Through its Manufacturing business, the company supports customers with advanced metal components, from process development and qualification to inspection and industrial delivery.
Alsymex is actively involved in several ITER technologies through a number of contracts signed with Fusion for Energy (F4E), the EU organisation responsible for Europe's contribution to the project. They include plasma-facing components and other systems critical to the operation of the fusion reactor. Alsymex is part of the ALCEN Group and employs more than 600 people across six industrial sites in France.
The order further strengthens Freemelt's position within the European fusion ecosystem and expands the company's engagement in advanced tungsten applications ranging from material and process development to qualified component manufacturing. The project follows Freemelt's previously announced SEK 55 million JT-60SA manufacturing order from F4E, further expanding the company's role in the fusion value chain.