Alcoa Inc. completed its separation into two standalone companies — Arconic Inc. and Alcoa Corporation (learn more about Alcoa Corporation).
Arconic commences operation as a global leader in multi-materials innovation, precision engineering, and advanced manufacturing, with the aim of serving diverse markets including the aerospace, automotive, building and construction, commercial transportation, industrial solutions, and energy.
“Today we launch Arconic as a strong independent company,” said Klaus Kleinfeld, chairman and CEO of Arconic. “Our multi-year transformation while part of Alcoa Inc. substantially improved our competitiveness and profitability. Today, we are very well positioned as a leader in attractive markets. Our culture combines driving innovation with a relentless focus on operational excellence and cost control; this positions Arconic to create significant value for our customers and profitable growth for our shareholders.”
Within aerospace, which accounts for approximately 40% of Arconic total revenues, Arconic develops and manufactures high performance, engineered products and solutions for airframe structures and aero engines. The company has significantly grown its capabilities through a combination of organic and inorganic technology and innovation-focused investments, enabling it to supply over 90% of the components within the jet engine. The company produces structural parts for both metallic and carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) aircraft.
In the North American automotive market, Arconic expects its North American automotive sheet revenues to grow six-fold, from $229 million in 2013 to $1.3 billion in 2018. Working to capture the growing demand for automotive aluminum sheet as the industry shifts to light-weighting, the company is developing new processes and technologies, such as its bonding process designed to enable the mass-market shift from steel to aluminum.
Advanced Technology and Engineered Products
Utlizing cutting-edge advanced manufacturing techniques, Acronic provides aluminum, titanium, and other materials in three main divisions: Engineered Products and Solutions, Global Rolled Products, and Transportation and Construction Solutions.
Engineered Products and Solutions
Under Engineered Products and Solutions, the company develops and manufacturers engineered products (in both aluminum and titanium) for the aerospace, industrial gas turbine, commercial transportation, and oil and gas markets. The division offers unique, comprehensive capabilities, from advanced alloys and 3D printing powder development to advanced manufacturing.
The four business units under this division represent airfoils, fasteners, rings, forgings, extrusions, advanced alloys, and industrial gas turbines, as follows:
- Power and Propulsion – includes aero engine and industrial gas turbine airfoils, additive manufacturing technologies, vacuum melted alloys, machining, performance coatings and hot isostatic pressing for high performance parts that enable the next generation of more fuel-efficient aero engines and cleaner power generation.
- Fastening Systems and Rings – aerospace fastening systems and rings, as well as commercial transportation fasteners, critical components for industrial gas turbines, automobiles, commercial transportation vehicles, and construction and industrial equipment.
- Forgings and Extrusions – production of forgings and extrusions for airframes (for defense), wing components, and landing gear components, as well as lightweight drive shafts for trucks and forged bulkheads for military aircraft.
- Titanium and Engineered Products – titanium aero ingots and mill products, including multi-material airframe subassemblies and advanced technologies and materials, such as 3D printing and titanium aluminides. “Titanium is the world’s fastest-growing aerospace metal,” noted the company.
The company recently expanded its 3D printing capabilities with the opening of a 3D printing metal powder production facility at its Technology Center, where it will produce proprietary titanium, nickel, and aluminum powders optimized for 3D printed aerospace parts.
Global Rolled Products
In its Global Rolled Products division, Arconic offers aluminum sheet and plate products for the aerospace, automotive, commercial transportation, brazing, and industrial markets. The three main business areas covered by this division are: Aerospace and Automotive Products, Micromill Products and Services, and Brazing, Commercial Transportation and Industrial Solutions.
“We’re at the forefront of the automotive market’s historic shift to aluminum-intensive vehicles,” said the company, which also noted that it holds leading market positions in aluminum sheet and plate for the aerospace industry.
The Brazing, Commercial Transportation and Industrial Solutions business area provides proprietary multi-layer sheet solutions for advanced thermal management systems. “We invented aluminum brazing sheet,” explains the company. “And our world-class R&D center in Lancaster, PA is dedicated to brazing sheet product innovations.”
The Micromill™ technology, developed by Arconic, is said to produce an alloy that is 40% more formable and 30% stronger than current automotive aluminum, as well as being twice as formable and at least 30% lighter than high-strength steel. The Micromill also reduces a 20 day production process to 20 minutes, according to the company. The technology is allowing our customers to redefine the boundaries of vehicle design to create lighter, safer, more fuel-efficient and stylish vehicles for the future.
Transportation and Construction Solutions
The Transportation and Construction Solutions division includes Arconic Wheel and Transportation Products, which produces forged aluminum truck and automotive wheels, and Kawneer, Reynobond, and Reynolux, which focus on producing aluminum curtain wall and front entry systems, as well as the Latin American Extrusions, which serves aluminum profiles for trains, buildings, and a diverse range of industrial applications to Latin American customers.