METIX AWARDED FERROMANGANESE REFINING PROJECT BY SAKURA
Metix, a leader in process plant solutions and engineering services for the pyrometallurgical sector, announced it has been chosen to execute Sakura’s refined ferromanganese project, known internally as “Project Salamander.”
Sakura Ferroalloys, a strategic joint venture between Assore International Holdings (South Africa), Sumitomo Corporation (Japan), China Steel Corporation (Taiwan), and JFE Minerals (Japan), operates a high-carbon ferromanganese (HCFeMn) and silicomanganese (SiMn) production complex at the Samalaju Industrial Park in Bintulu, Sarawak, Malaysia. This complete production complex was erected on an EPC basis by Metix in 2016. On 12 September 2025, Sakura celebrated a decade of operations and marked the groundbreaking of the new FeMn converter, representing a total investment of approx. USD 82.5 million.
Project Salamander will expand Sakura’s product portfolio to meet evolving customer demand in specialised alloy markets worldwide by introducing the capability of producing medium and low-carbon ferromanganese (MC & LCFeMn). The project is scheduled for 21 months of construction with full production ramp-up targeted by mid-2027. Upon completion, the facility is expected to have an annual refined FeMn capacity of 70,000 tonnes.
The successful completion of the original Sakura project, as well as the excellent operation of the plant to date, made Metix the obvious choice for this new expansion project. This award reinforces Metix’ position as a premier provider of process plant solutions for the ferrous and downstream metal production sectors.
Commenting on the award, Metix’ CEO Mr Wynand Moolman stated: “This project underscores Metix’ long-standing partnership with Sakura and our continued leadership in delivering safe, reliable, and technically advanced process solutions for the pyrometallurgical industry. We are committed to enabling Sakura’s growth into new carbon ranges and diversified product streams of high-quality alloy products to meet international demand across diverse steel markets.”
Passion For Metals: Metix serves as the centre of competence within the SMS group for reduction furnace applications and provides end-to-end process plant solutions and engineering services to the pyrometallurgical industry. Its capabilities span across various sectors including ferrous and non-ferrous production, waste recycling, slag conditioning, green iron and steel production. Metix’ design and engineering teams employ state-of-the-art tools and methodologies, including Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Design for Construction (D4C), to ensure continuous improvement in product quality and customer service.
