Sumter, S.C. — September 30, 2025 — Last week, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) visited the eVAC Magnetics facility in Sumter, South Carolina, where eVAC’s operations are restoring critical technology production to America. Specifically, the eVAC facility in South Carolina is playing a key role in bolstering domestic rare-earth magnet (REM) production, an effort crucial to America’s national and economic security interests. The facility, which is set to start production within the next few weeks and scale to full capacity in early 2026, will create 300 new full-time jobs in Sumter County.

Troy Thacker, the Executive Chairman of eVAC, joined other eVAC representatives to show Senator Graham the sheer scope of the facility’s production capabilities and discuss, among many things, eVAC’s enormous potential to facilitate U.S. military readiness through an expanded partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense.

Senator Graham was shown the facility’s unique, industry-leading production technology, which allows eVAC to develop the most powerful, lightweight rare earth magnets suitable for the widest possible number of industrial applications.

“eVAC is grateful for the continuous support from Senator Graham, whose long-held commitment to the people of South Carolina and his unwavering dedication to America’s national security are beyond reproach.” said Thacker. “We look forward to working with him in the future to bolster American manufacturing and reinforce American military readiness all while providing good-paying jobs and driving economic activity in Sumter County.”

VAC is a portfolio company of Ara Partners, a global private equity and infrastructure firm that is decarbonizing the industrial economy, and a leading global developer of magnetic materials and solutions. Its U.S. arm, eVAC, is a state-of-the-art rare earth neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) permanent magnet production facility. These magnet solutions are critical to automotive, industrial, and renewable energy applications.

 The eVAC facility, along with VAC’s decades of experience in rare earth magnet technology and process intellectual property, is a critical piece to ensuring American domestic supply continuity and bolstering national security. Learn more at https://evac-magnetics.com/.

Media Contact: Jane Merkler, jane@arapartners.com