Bruker Energy & Supercon Technologies (BEST), a division of Nasdaq-listed Bruker Corporation, and Luvata Materials & Solutions, a business unit of the Luvata Group, have announced a strategic collaboration agreement to address the growing demand for superconducting materials driven by global magnetic confinement fusion programs. The goal is to expand industrial manufacturing capacity for RRP® (Rod-Restack Process) niobium-tin wires, which rank among the highest-performing superconductors currently available on the market.
RRP technology is an advanced manufacturing process that enables the production of niobium-tin (Nb3Sn) superconducting wires with exceptionally high critical current density. These wires are used in the high-field magnets required to confine plasma inside fusion reactors. In magnetic confinement devices, plasma reaches temperatures far exceeding those at the solar core — keeping it stable demands magnetic fields of extraordinary intensity, which simply cannot be generated without superconductors. RRP wires stand out for their current-carrying capacity, mechanical strength, and availability at industrial scale, making them well suited for large-scale projects such as tokamaks and stellarators.
The BEST-Luvata agreement stems from a concrete need: next-generation fusion programs require volumes of superconducting materials that no single manufacturer can currently guarantee on its own. The collaboration aims to increase global manufacturing capacity, make the supply chain more flexible, and ensure continuity of supply for large-scale fusion power demonstration facilities. BEST already operates advanced plants in the United States and Germany, where it produces thousands of kilometers of superconducting wire. Luvata brings complementary expertise in metals processing and the industrial production of high-technology components.
This deal comes against the backdrop of a rapidly expanding sector. Nuclear fusion is attracting both public and private investment worldwide, driven by demand for clean energy to power data centers, artificial intelligence, and industrial growth. Several private programs — including Commonwealth Fusion Systems, TAE Technologies, and others — are developing compact tokamaks that rely precisely on high-field superconductors. On the public side, projects such as ITER and future European and Asian demonstration plants require growing quantities of superconducting materials certified for fusion applications. BEST has already received multi-year orders for RRP wires destined for a tokamak in Asia, a clear signal that demand is both real and immediate.
The BEST-Luvata agreement marks a step toward building a mature industrial supply chain for fusion energy. The challenge is not purely scientific: producing superconductors at scale, with consistent quality and reliable lead times, is the essential prerequisite for fusion reactors to make the leap from the laboratory to commercial electricity generation. If the collaboration meets its stated objectives, the sector will gain a more distributed and resilient manufacturing capacity — one capable of simultaneously supporting multiple fusion programs across the globe.
