"TITAL Nantong is making some good progress. We plan to start series production in the second quarter 2013", states Managing Director Philipp Schack who is very optimistic following his last visit to the TITAL production site in China. The German titanium and aluminum investment casting specialist has been setting up the production site since the middle of last year in Nantong, a city of two million inhabitants at about 75 miles from Shanghai.

At the moment the internal quality management audit is ongoing in Nantong. Two existing production halls and an administration building have been refurbished. The operational start of the lines has been done and the first casting was successful. The investment casting specialist plans to produce aluminum parts for the Chinese and European markets on a total area of 4,600 m?, the production area counting for 4,000 m2.

The asset in China allows TITAL to participate in the efforts of a European key account to produce in local markets (localization initiative). "China's importance for the production of civil aircraft will strongly increase. Strategic alliances between western aircraft and engine manufacturers show this trend. And we do not want to stand outside ", Philipp Schack, Managing Director of TITAL confirms the company's plans.

TITAL also expects to get closer to its Chinese customers. "TITAL Nantong is not only our first foreign production site, but the aim is also to support our sales activities in the Asia-Pacific region", Schack confirms the commitment to China. The investment casting specialist TITAL benefits from good international economic conditions and is focusing on a strategic improvement of its market position. As a consequence investments are not only foreseen in China, but also into the main site in Bestwig, Germany. There TITAL plans to significantly enlarge production of titanium parts in order to further reinforce its position as one of the worldwide leading investment casting specialists. Thus they already work on concrete expansion plans for the Bestwig plant.