Wrought alloys for aircrafts create a greater demand for titanium sponge ( 20 June 2008 )

Titanium sponge for wrought alloys are still in short supply on the world market, but the titanium sponge demand as additives for steel industry is tending to weak. In wrought alloy areas, both of the civil aircraft manufacturers, Boeing & Airbus, get large orders, but there is only few companies can supply the titanium materials for aircrafts. As to the steel additives area, the demand keeps steady.

However, there are lots of China companies manufacturing titanium sponge, this leads the price to go down in world market. Wrought alloys ask for larger demand of titanium sponge. Japan Toho Technical takes a forecast that wrought alloy will be used more and more for civil aircrafts and commercial industries from 2014. Especially for the civil aircrafts, Boeing and Airbus overstock their orders up to 6000 planes by the end of 2007. In addition, new planes (B-787, A-380, A-350) have been dispatched this year and it will take one querter by 2015. Titanium materials have been used to make titanium connectors besides of titanium engines and undercarriages.

According to statistics by Toho Technical, each B787 need 136T's titanium sponge, and A380 need 146T, comparing with the B747 need 38T and A300 need 13T. So the demands of the titanium sponge for new planes will boom in coming years. Estimated by Osaka Titanium Technologies, China capacity of titanium sponge was 50000T in 2007, increasing 20000T from 2006. Some multi-manufacturer, such as Zhunyi Titanium Factory produce 14000T titanium sponge, Fushun Titanium Factory produce 5000T titanium sponge, they only take 40% share in China market. - by KIng Titanium