Alcoa has opened a new facility in Lafayette, Indiana, to meet the increasing demand for aluminium-lithium components for next-generation aircraft.
Claimed to be the largest-of-its-kind, the facility will produce third-generation aluminium-lithium alloys and ingots for the aerospace industry. It will have annual production capacity of 20,000t.
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
The plant is located adjacent to Alcoa’s extrusion facility and will create 75 new jobs.
Alcoa chairman and chief executive officer Klaus Kleinfeld said: "The future of aviation is being built with aluminium-lithium, and Alcoa is making big moves to capture that demand.
"This state-of-the-art facility positions Alcoa as the world’s premier aluminium-lithium supplier, offering the broadest portfolio of aluminium-lithium components for next generation aircraft."
Aluminium-lithium alloys are said to be cheaper compared with titanium and composites, as well as helping to enhance fuel efficiency and reduce maintenance costs.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataThe company has recently strengthened its aluminium-lithium capabilities at the Alcoa Technical Center near Pittsburgh, Kitts Green facility in the UK, and in Lafayette, US.
Alcoa has secured $6.2m grants from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, the city of Lafayette and Tippecanoe County in support of the project.
The latest news comes after the company unveiled $100m expansion at its LaPorte facility, which will produce nickel-based super alloy jet engine parts.
Alcoa supplies aluminium-lithium products to airframe manufacturers as well as for space, automotive and military applications.
For the aviation industry, the company offers single-piece wing skins, fuselage skins, wing stringers, floor beams, seat tracks and other components.
Image: Alcoa’s aluminium-lithium plant in Lafayette, Indiana. Photo: courtesy of Business Wire / Alcoa Inc.
