Washington, DC — Today, Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, announced that Boston Metal will receive a $50 million grant through the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Advanced Energy Manufacturing and Recycling Grants Program to support the construction of a new facility in Weirton, West Virginia, to manufacture ultrapure chromium metal and high temperature alloys that are critical materials needed for advanced energy technologies. The funding was made possible by Chairman Manchin’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which made $750 million available to assist advanced energy manufacturing by small- and medium-sized businesses in coal communities, including the Boston Metal project in Weirton. 

“Today’s announcement is further recognition of West Virginia’s legacy as America’s Energy Powerhouse, and I could not be prouder to see the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continue to help bring new opportunity and investment to our state. Weirton and the surrounding communities will yet again be on the cutting edge of developing new energy technologies that will help strengthen our energy and national security. When it comes to energy, there truly is no better place to do business than the Mountain State,” said Chairman Manchin. 

"We are delighted to be going to West Virginia. Thanks to funding from the Department of Energy and the visionary support of Senator Manchin, we are able to begin building our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility that will bring production of a critical material to the United States. This facility will manufacture chrome metal which is essential for defense, aerospace applications and the renewable energy industry,” said Tadeu Carneiro, Chairman and CEO of Boston Metal. 

“On behalf of the West Virginia Department of Economic Development, I wish to extend my congratulations to Tadeu and the entire team at Boston Metal on this important federal grant award. We look forward to the prospect of adding even more new and exciting advanced manufacturing jobs to Weirton. West Virginia continues to add to its manufacturing and metals production portfolio. This announcement opens yet another opportunity for our citizens to live, work, and raise their families in the beauty of West Virginia,” said Mitch Carmichael, Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Economic Development.

Starting in June 2023, Senator Joe Manchin and his staff have worked with Boston Metal and the West Virginia Department of Economic Development to encourage Boston Metal to build the country’s first high-purity chromium alloy production facility, in Weirton, West Virginia. In July 2023, Senator Manchin wrote a letter in support of Boston Metal’s grant application to the Advanced Energy Manufacturing and Recycling Program through the U.S. Department of Energy. As Chairman of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Senator Manchin authored and championed the Advanced Energy Manufacturing and Recycling Program and ensured its inclusion in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The program made available $750 million to assist advanced energy manufacturing by small- and medium-sized business in coal communities. In November 2023, Senator Manchin announced that Boston Metal’s application was successful and would result in a $50 million grant to help construct the new facility in Weirton — a total investment of $161 million that will create approximately 200 new, good-paying manufacturing jobs that will supply the U.S. energy and defense industrial base with critical materials needed to develop advanced energy technologies. Senator Manchin’s work culminated in a call to Tadeu Carneiro, Chairman and CEO of Boston Metal, to congratulate Boston Metal and encourage their continued negotiations to bring this project to fruition in West Virginia.

Project Details:

Boston Metal is bringing the production of critical materials essential for many clean-energy industries including nuclear, wind, hydro, concentrating solar power (CSP), geothermal, fuel cells, and green steel back to the United States. Boston Metal will build and operate the only domestic high-purity chromium and refractory metal alloy factory producing ultrapure chromium metal, high temperature alloys, and near net shape parts. This project will create 200 high-tech jobs with a focus on local hiring. Boston Metal will formalize and implement community and workforce development agreements. Boston Metal will tailor their workforce training programs to re-skill legacy workers, expand diversity in the workforce and vendor network, as well as provide wrap-around services such as expanding childcare services, ensuring flowthrough of benefits to the Weirton Community.

For more information from the U.S. Department of Energy, click here.