Green Sapphire
FAMETEC | Jongkwan Park, Chief Technology Officer
Green Sapphire
Sapphires from the Arctic, produced with sustainable technology.
Sulitjelma, a former copper mining town located within the Arctic Circle in Norway, is now the home of ARCTICSapphire. Instead of digging up ore, the town has become focused on growing sapphire crystal – a highly sought-after material with immense industrial value. By employing technologies developed in-house, ARCTICSapphire is pioneering a new chapter in sustainable crystal manufacturing.
REDEFINING SAPPHIRE PRODUCTION
Traditional sapphire crystal production, long dominated by Russian and Chinese suppliers, is a notoriously energy-intensive and carbon-heavy process. ARCTICSapphire is turning this on its head by leveraging the unique resources of Sulitjelma and advanced technology. The town’s abundant, clean hydropower and access to cold water create the ideal conditions for a more sustainable approach.
At the core of ARCTICSapphire‘s operation is the McSAP furnace, a revolutionary system developed by FAMETEC, another member of the EBNER GROUP. This cutting-edge technology allows for multiple, tailored crystal growths in a single operation, a significant departure from older methods. The furnace’s exceptional repeatability and reproducibility not only enable automation, but also guarantee world-class quality. This technological leap, combined with 100 % green hydropower, puts ARCTICSapphire on track to deliver the “greenest sapphire production in the world.”
A STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE IN A SHIFTING WORLD
Sapphire is a vital semiconductor substrate for next-generation technologies like LEDs, micro-LEDs and GaN power devices. Its superior hardness, transparency and stability in extreme temperatures also make it essential for optics, medical devices, aerospace applications and luxury watches.
In a global economy grappling with trade tensions and the push for economic independence, ARCTICSapphire‘s “made in Europe and carbon-neutral” product provides a powerful strategic advantage. As Europe seeks to reduce its reliance on imports from Russia and China, ARCTICSapphire is perfectly positioned to provide a cleaner, greener, and geopolitically independent supply chain. This is a product that does not exist anywhere else in the world, giving the company a unique market position.
SCALING UP FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
ARCTICSapphire is (for the moment) a small-scale operation, but has a bold vision for the future. The company has already begun mass production, targeting two tons per month by 2025 and expecting to create up to 300 new jobs over the next few years. Demand is already rising, with a Norwegian oil company and a European watchmaker qualifying ARCTICSapphire‘s products and inquiries pouring in from a wide variety of industries.
As members of the EBNER GROUP, ARCTICSapphire and FAMETEC – in particular, its R&D center in Austria – are continually extending their competitive advantage by advancing their technological lead, and ArcticSapphire is poised to become a global leader in sustainable sapphire production.
The company’s vision extends beyond its own success: another one of its goals is to establish Sulitjelma as the first zero-emission industrial park in northern Norway, demonstrating that a town’s legacy of resourceful industry can be rekindled with a modern, sustainable purpose.
