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Latrobe Specialty Steel to Expand Vacuum Remelting Facility
01/23/2008 - Latrobe Specialty Steel will triple its vacuum melting capacity with a major expansion at its Latrobe remelt facility.
Latrobe Specialty Steel Co. has announced a major expansion of its Latrobe, Pa., based vacuum remelting facility for the production of high-alloy specialty steels.
The expansion begins with the construction of a 60,000-square-foot manufacturing facility near the company’s Latrobe headquarters. The plant will house the company's expanded vacuum induction melting and vacuum arc remelting operations.
“To ensure America's continued ability to produce the aircraft and fighting vehicles our military desperately need, assure our customers of faster deliveries and support our community, we have broken ground here in
Latrobe for a new vacuum-remelting facility for high-alloy specialty steels. We expect to see the first hot metal in August and commercial production by year end," said Hans J. Sack, Latrobe Specialty Steel’s President and CEO.
“This year marks Latrobe Specialty Steel's fiftieth anniversary in the aerospace industry. Half a century ago, in 1958, we installed our first vacuum arc remelting furnace to make alloys for America's burgeoning aerospace industry. Forty-five years ago, we put in the vacuum induction melting furnace we still use. Today, 75% of our production goes to defense and aerospace," said Mark Weberding, Vice President for Marketing and Sales.
"Our aerospace and defense end users look to us for new materials solutions. With this tripling of our vacuum melting capacity, we can broaden our product range of high-performance alloys. Organic expansion is just one of the ways we will develop Latrobe Specialty Steel. We appreciate the support of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in helping us continue to grow within the state," Sack said.
“Our Sandycreek plant for finishing operations in Venango County will also receive new investment, expand its building and create new positions,” Sack added. At Sandycreek, the company will expand its existing building to accommodate a new bar peeler to serve Latrobe Specialty Steel's aerospace customers. The company anticipates the Sandycreek project will be completed by the third quarter of this year.
Headquartered in Latrobe, Pa., Latrobe Specialty Steel manufactures and distributes precision-engineered specialty alloys for customers globally. Airframe and defense systems manufacturers specify Latrobe's high-performance, vacuum-melted and vacuum-remelted alloys for jet engine bearings, landing gears, helicopter rotor shafts, fighting-vehicle torsion bars, and spacecraft components. In business continuously since 1913, Latrobe Specialty Steel employs approximately 900 people in ten locations throughout North America and
Europe.
