Italian engineering group MAIRE has announced that its subsidiary Nextchem has signed a binding agreement to acquire a metals and chemicals processing technology business from Finland-based Metso Corporation in a deal valued at €40 million.
The acquisition will significantly strengthen Nextchem’s technological capabilities in mineral processing, inorganic chemistry and the treatment of critical and strategic raw materials, while expanding its presence in industries increasingly driven by electrification and the rapid growth of artificial intelligence infrastructure.
The transaction involves the acquisition of a newly incorporated company to be established by Metso in Germany, with operations and a presence in Sweden and India.
The business is a globally recognised technology leader, specialising in fluidised-bed roasting, metallurgical off-gas treatment and a range of advanced processing solutions for the metals and chemicals industries. Its technologies cover everything from thermal treatment of ores, concentrates and residues to valuable metal recovery and the treatment and purification of industrial process gases.
A major asset in the acquisition is its extensive intellectual property portfolio, comprising more than 60 patent families. These cover fluidised-bed reactor technology, cyclone and gas-solid separation systems, thermal treatment of fine-grained and granular materials, and metal oxide production. The portfolio also includes emerging applications involving the use of hydrogen in fluidised-bed systems.
The business brings with it an impressive industrial track record of more than 1,000 installations and project references worldwide, including 300 roasting references. It holds a leading global position in zinc and pyrite applications and has more than 100 gas-cleaning installations.
Following completion, the acquired business will operate through its established engineering, technology, service and research and development network. Its headquarters will be in Oberursel, Germany, with an R&D centre in Frankfurt and additional operations in Skellefteå and Gothenburg in Sweden, and Kolkata in India.
The business employs approximately 180 highly skilled professionals, whose expertise will add significant technological depth to Nextchem's operations.
For MAIRE, the acquisition represents a strategic push into high-value technologies serving critical and strategic raw material supply chains. It is also expected to create commercial synergies with Tecnimont, another key Group business, while opening up opportunities in markets benefiting from long-term demand growth linked to electrification and AI infrastructure.
The deal carries an enterprise value of €40 million, comprising an upfront payment of €32 million, subject to customary closing adjustments, and an additional €8 million earn-out.
Completion remains subject to regulatory approvals, the execution of the carve-out process and other customary closing conditions. The transaction is expected to close in mid-2027.
Commenting on the acquisition, Fabio Fritelli, Managing Director of Nextchem, said: "This acquisition will significantly enhance Nextchem’s offering in critical and strategic raw materials, an area of growing importance for global industrial development.
"The combination of proprietary technologies, extensive industrial references and highly specialized know-how will allow us to broaden our presence in the metals and chemical processing industries and support our customers in improving resource efficiency, reducing environmental impact and enabling the evolution of the critical and strategic raw material processing value chains. We are also pleased to welcome a team of approximately 180 highly skilled professionals whose expertise will contribute to the next phase of Nextchem’s growth."
Piia Karhu, President, Minerals at Metso, said: "MAIRE is well positioned to further develop these businesses, that are synergistic with their existing business, while providing long-term value to customers and employees. In line with Metso’s strategy, this divestment further sharpens our focus on minerals processing and metals refining solutions”.
