ATI expands portfolio to produce titanium alloy sheet for aerospace

ATI Inc. has brought online a state-of-the-art facility in Pageland, South Carolina to produce titanium alloy sheet. Technically challenging to produce, this material is critical to airframe manufacturers, bringing strength and durability to aerostructure components and assemblies.

"Recognizing the high quality of our products, customers have been asking ATI to add this offering to our titanium portfolio," said Kimberly A. Fields, ATI President and CEO. "With our Pageland facility fully online and in production, we now offer a full complement of titanium materials, producing quality titanium sheets wider and longer than anyone in the industry."

Known in the industry as 'pack rolled sheet,' this product must meet exacting industry requirements. Production starts with the best of ATI's extraordinary capabilities across the enterprise, from melt to rolling. Layers of titanium plate are hot rolled to ultra-thin sheets in gauges as thin as 0.020 inches, at lengths up to 25 feet, with the highest surface quality. "This new offering further extends ATI's position as an aerospace leader, giving customers extraordinary manufacturing capability and flexibility," said Fields.

ATI recently announced a multi-year agreement with Airbus for titanium plate, sheet and billet for narrow and widebody aircraft. The titanium alloy sheet for this engagement will be produced at the Pageland facility. ATI estimates that more than two-thirds of Pageland's capacity will be under long-term agreements with a range of aerospace customers, including for the titanium alloy sheet for Airbus, with qualifications already underway.

ATI Pageland Operations is vertically integrated, bringing leveling, annealing, finishing and inspection together under one roof at the nearly 125,000 square foot greenfield facility. The highly automated facility was designed with sustainability at the forefront: The electric furnaces align Pageland's power footprint with the state of South Carolina's power cooperatives' goal of moving toward greener power solutions. All-electric furnaces and a highly efficient water-jacketed pickle line result in zero air emissions and minimal wastewater discharge. The investment is included in the company's existing capital expenditure guidance.