State-of-the-Art Lithium Cast House to Meet Growing Aerospace
Demand
LAFAYETTE, Ind.–Alcoa (NYSE:AA) celebrated the launch of construction of its greenfield
state-of-the-art aluminum lithium facility at a groundbreaking event
attended by Lafayette employees, and community and state partners.
Adjacent to its existing plant, the $90 million, 115,000 square-foot
expansion will produce more than 20,000 metric tons of aluminum lithium
and be capable of casting round and rectangular ingot for rolled,
extruded and forged applications.
Introduced last year by Alcoa, newly patented aluminum lithium alloys
will allow airframers to build dramatically lighter and lower-cost
airplanes vs. composite alternatives. They also provide the best
strength-to-weight performance in Alcoa’s aerospace alloy portfolio
combined with better stiffness and corrosion resistance. The alloys are
used in extrusions, forgings, and sheet and plate applications across
aircraft structures, including airplane wings and fuselage elements.
“Our primary role as aerospace solution providers is to help the OEMs
reduce fuel consumption per seat mile,” said Eric Roegner, President,
Alcoa Forgings and Extrusions. “We have a long history working with
aerospace customers to help new aircraft meet demanding new missions and
provide optimum solutions for both the engine and airframe structure.
Our aluminum lithium supply chain will be the premier operation in the
world and this specialty alloy will be flying on the next generation of
aircraft.”
The expanded facility will create approximately 75 permanent high-value
jobs, as well as approximately 150 additional jobs during the course of
construction. Production of its first aluminum lithium is planned by the
end of 2014.
Alcoa’s Lafayette investment is being supported by the Indiana Economic
Development Corporation. “We are very grateful to our community and
state partners for their support in this significant project that will
provide continued growth and good jobs now and into the future,” said
Roegner.
About Alcoa
Alcoa is the world’s leading producer of primary and fabricated
aluminum, as well as the world’s largest miner of bauxite and refiner of
alumina. In addition to inventing the modern-day aluminum industry,
Alcoa innovation has been behind major milestones in the aerospace,
automotive, packaging, building and construction, commercial
transportation, consumer electronics and industrial markets over the
past 120 years. Among the solutions Alcoa markets are flat-rolled
products, hard alloy extrusions, and forgings, as well as Alcoa® wheels,
fastening systems, precision and investment castings, and building
systems in addition to its expertise in other light metals such as
titanium and nickel-based super alloys. Sustainability is an integral
part of Alcoa’s operating practices and the product design and
engineering it provides to customers. Alcoa has been a member of the Dow
Jones Sustainability Index for 10 consecutive years and approximately 75
percent of all of the aluminum ever produced since 1888 is still in
active use today. Alcoa employs approximately 61,000 people in 31
countries across the world. More information can be found at www.alcoa.com.