JS Link Announces Investment in Rare Earth Permanent Magnet Facility in Columbus, Georgia

JS Link America, a subsidiary of South Korean company JS Link, announced it is investing about $223M to establish a new rare earth permanent magnet manufacturing facility in Columbus, Georgia, which will create approximately 520 new jobs in Muscogee County. JS Link is currently wrapping up a similar facility in Yesan, Korea, perfecting processing of rare-earth materials and magnet manufacturing. In the announcement, the company mentions the state’s favorable tax policies and hopes of hiring its labor force from Georgia’s universities.
 
Founded originally in 2000, JS Link is a Korean biotechnology company that specializes in research and development. The company has expanded its business to include the production of permanent magnets. JS Link is nearing completion on a similar permanent magnet facility in Yesan, Korea, with an anticipated pilot production run in September and annual capacity of 1,000 tons.

JS Link’s new manufacturing facility will be located at the Muscogee Technology Park in Columbus. The 130,000-square-foot facility is predicted to have an annual production capacity of 3,000 tons, with operations expecting to begin in late 2027.

“From day one, Georgia’s economic development team, local community leadership in Columbus, and Georgia Power all welcomed JS Link with a pro-business approach. Georgia’s universities, with their engineering programs, also provide a ready-made labor force for JS Link America,” says Mr. Jun Y. Lee, JS Link America Inc.’s CEO. “JS Link plans to be a part of a value chain focused entirely on Western nations to meet the growing demand for permanent magnets sourced from strategic allies such as Korea. This new chain will cover the entire process, from the procurement of essential rare-earth materials to the final manufacturing of the magnets.”

JS Link America Inc.’s new manufacturing facility is predicted to have an annual production capacity of 3,000 tons. Operations are expected to begin in late 2027. The company will be hiring for engineering, production, construction, administrative, and management roles. Interested individuals can learn more about working at JS Link America Inc. at en.jslink.co.kr    “We are excited to welcome JS Link America to Columbus, Georgia,” said Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson. “These high-quality career paths will not only benefit the workforce here in Columbus but throughout the entire region. Columbus, through the Muscogee County School District, Columbus Technical College, and Columbus State University, remains committed to preparing a workforce for today’s and tomorrow’s high-tech environment.” 

“On behalf of Choose Columbus and the economic development team, we are proud to have JS Link join our corporate community,” adds Chairman Selvin Hollingsworth, Development Authority of Columbus, Georgia. “This location will have a large impact on our entire regional economy, and we look forward to helping them establish and grow their U.S. presence in Columbus.”  

Senior Project Manager Jacob Lee represented the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) Global Commerce team on this competitive project in partnership with the Development Authority of Columbus, Georgia Quick Start, and Georgia Power. 

“Permanent magnets are essential in everything from electric vehicles to jet engines and drones, and developing this technology in the United States strengthens our national security and economic resilience,” explains GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. “Our partnerships with Korea power innovation and opportunity. We are proud that JS Link America has chosen Georgia for its first U.S. manufacturing facility.”  “JS Link America strengthens Georgia’s role in securing the US supply chain in industries such as aerospace, mobility, and energy,” states Governor Brian Kemp. “We are excited for the continued growth of manufacturing in west Georgia, and congratulations to Columbus-Muscogee County for this opportunity.”

When operational, the new JS Link facility will be a candidate to process the rare earth materials extracted at Mountain Pass, following MP Materials' suspension of rare earth shipments to China. The Chinese government has recently notified global buyers that stockpiling is prohibited and is expected to further tighten supply restrictions in the future. The US Department of Defense has recently taken MP Materials under its wing and is expected to provide direct funding to other US-based rare earth companies as well.
www.jslink.co.kr