Who Are We

Company Overview

The Science Behind Our Name

The term “4f Orbital” refers to the 4f orbit electron shell , which provides the performance for the world’s strongest magnets. Rare earth free materials cannot achieve the magnetic strength, coercivity, anisotropy, temperature stability and energy density of the 4f orbit rare earth permanent magnets.

These elements form the foundation of modern electrification, enabling technologies ranging from electric vehicles and wind turbines to robotics, aerospace systems, semiconductors, and AI infrastructure applications.

Company Background

The 4f Orbital founders bring decades of rare earth industry experience, dating its roots to 1986 when the founders began participating in the early commercialization of rare earth materials between China and the United States.

The founders launched one of the earliest U.S. based rare earth trading operations from Texas City, Texas, sourcing material from Inner Mongolia and supplying customers in the northeastern United States. During this period, the business supported early commercial adopters of rare earth applications, including the world famous cigarette lighter manufacturer, Ronson Corporation of New Jersey, as rare earth materials began to transition from laboratory-scale innovation to industrial-scale use.

Thomas M. Mackey joined Mitsubishi Materials Corporation in the United States, where he focused on rare earth magnet materials and other critical advanced materials. In parallel, Eric Fang continued to build and operate the rare earth trading business in Texas City through the early 1990s, developing deep relationships across suppliers, customers, and logistics infrastructure that form the foundation of the company’s current platform.

4f Orbital sits at the intersection of advanced materials, industrial policy, and next-generation manufacturing. We don’t just build facilities — we build the supply chain backbone that nations, industries, and technologies depend on.

Our first manufacturing facility in Texas City, Texas marks the beginning of that mission: a direct, tangible commitment to reshoring critical manufacturing technology to the United States. It’s the first node in a platform designed to scale globally — from North America to the Middle East to Europe.

We are not chasing a single market. We are building the infrastructure layer for the industries that will define the next fifty years: critical minerals, advanced materials, and the energy systems powering an AI-driven world.

Over four decades, the leadership team has accumulated deep expertise in:

Rare Earth Processing
Metallurgical Engineering
Global Supply Chains
Industrial Manufacturing
Energy Transition Technologies
Strategic Investments

Today, 4f Orbital combines industrial know-how, global partnerships, and advanced manufacturing technologies to address one of the most critical supply chain gaps in the Western Hemisphere.

We don’t just build facilities —
we build the supply chain backbone that nations, industries, and technologies depend on.

Our Mission

Building Sustainable Critical Material Infrastructure

Our mission is to establish a secure, sustainable, and technologically advanced rare earth manufacturing ecosystem in the United States that supports:

Energy Transition
National Security
Industrial Resilience
Advanced Manufacturing
Global Supply Chain Stability

We believe access to critical materials is fundamental to economic growth, technological leadership, and environmental sustainability.

Our Focus

The company is focused on the domestic manufacturing of rare earth metals, alloys, and powders—primarily Neodymium (Nd), Praseodymium (Pr), Dysprosium (Dy), and Terbium (Tb) for use in high-performance permanent magnets serving electric vehicles, renewable energy, industrial automation, and advanced electronics markets.