May 24, 2007 -- Mitsubishi Materials Corp. plans to quadruple output capacity for forged aircraft engine cases by fiscal 2009 in response to growing aircraft production worldwide. The firm will invest 3 billion yen (US$24.7 million) over three years in its plant in Saitama Prefecture in order to boost output of engine cases made with heat-resistant alloys. As part of the expansion, a second ring mill -- a machine that forms cylindrical engine cases by pressing the heat-resistant alloy into a mold -- will be installed.

The new ring mill will be able to apply greater pressures than the existing ring mill, enabling larger cases to be formed and thereby greatly increasing production efficiency. The new mill is expected to be in service during fiscal 2009 and will raise production volume fourfold from the current 4,500 units a year.

Mitsubishi Materials projects that aircraft demand will grow at an annual rate of 4.6 per cent to 5.6 per cent for the next 20 years, with much of this demand coming from Asia. It is targeting 12 billion yen in sales of forged aircraft parts by fiscal 2012, more than double the 5.5 billion yen reported for fiscal 2006. It is also looking to boost its share of the global market to 10 per cent from the current 3 per cent.

Source: Asia Pulse
Source: Factiva