Μake us preferred on Google Metlen has signed a long term agreement to supply gallium to a major American technology company, marking what the Greek group describes as the first commercial gallium supply contract between a European producer and a leading U.S. tech firm.
Under the deal, Metlen will provide roughly 25 percent of the annual output from a gallium production unit it is developing in Greece. The financial terms of the agreement remain confidential, and neither Metlen nor the buyer has named the American company involved.
Why gallium matters
Gallium is a critical raw material used in artificial intelligence hardware, renewable energy infrastructure, telecommunications equipment and defense applications. Global production of the metal is concentrated among a small number of countries, a dynamic that has pushed industrial economies to seek alternative and more reliable sources of supply.
Metlen said it is now the first company in Europe to build an integrated gallium production chain, and the first to secure a commercial agreement for gallium produced on the continent.
Where the metal will be made
Production will take place at the historic Aluminium of Greece complex, the country’s longtime aluminum smelting site, under a newly created division called Critical and Rare Metals, part of Metlen’s M Metals unit. The company said the project draws on years of research and investment by its in house R&D teams.
Commercial production is expected to begin in 2027, with the unit reaching full operation in 2028.
What the company is saying
Evangelos Mytilineos, Metlen’s executive chairman, said the agreement opens a new industrial chapter for both Greece and Europe. He said the gallium developed at the Aluminium of Greece plant has drawn strong interest from major international technology companies, which he called a reflection of both the strategic importance of the metal and confidence in the quality of the material, which he said has already undergone extensive certification and evaluation testing.
EU backing
The European Commission has designated Metlen’s gallium project a Strategic Project under the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act, legislation designed to reduce Europe’s dependence on external suppliers for materials considered essential to the bloc’s economy and security.
The European Investment Bank has also approved financing for the project as part of REPowerEU, the EU program aimed at accelerating the bloc’s energy transition and reducing reliance on imported resources.
Source: OT.gr
