Siemens Gamesa, Chinese magnet suppliers discuss European production, COO says

ERLANGEN, Germany (Reuters) -Wind turbine maker Siemens Gamesa is in talks with Chinese suppliers of rare earth permanent magnets about the possibility of bringing production to Europe, in a bid to cut the region's reliance on imports after curbs on supplies from China. Delays in Chinese rare earth export permits have caused European car makers and their suppliers to scramble for alternatives in a market that is dominated by the world's No. 2 economy, threatening production stops across the continent. The wind sector also depends on rare earths processed in China, most notably neodymium, which is used in permanent magnets - a key turbine component - but currently not affected by export permit delays.