Titanium Metal
roskill.co.uk
New production process may boost output of lower-cost titanium
Although its minerals occur naturally in abundance and it possesses a combination of the very valuable properties of light weight, corrosion resistance and strength, titanium metal remains a specialised material used mainly in applications requiring stringent specifications, the demand from which is limited and volatile. This is largely a result of the expensive batch processes that are used to recover titanium from its mineral concentrates, and the technical difficulties associated with melting and alloying titanium. However, work on the FCC Cambridge continuous electrolytic process for producing titanium sponge since 1998, appears to have brought the commercialisation of a quicker and much less expensive process nearer. This development may herald the large-scale output of lower cost titanium and titanium alloy products for use in applications with broader tolerances such as automotive parts. It is too soon to say, however, whether this will result in lower costs that would stimulate significant industry expansion. In the shorter term, the rehabilitation of the large titanium sponge industries in Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine will ensure supplies and prevent sharp price increases, despite increased demand from the anticipated trebling of the world's passenger airliner fleet in the next twenty years. However, significant reductions in the cost of titanium components as a result of the developments in these countries are unlikely.
The key trends, issues and developments in the market are now analysed in this major new report from Roskill. It provides a clear insight into all areas of the industry and an authoritative analysis of the prospects for the future.
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS
Use of titanium in the F22, Eurofighter, JointStrike Fighter and Rafale fighter aircraft over the next ten years will maintain titanium demand from the military, but this market is unlikely to regain its pre-1990 importance. The F22, due in production in 2004 with 39% by weight of titanium, has probably the highest proportion of titanium of any aircraft.
The consumer market for titanium, dominated by golf clubs, contracted sharply in the USA in 1998 and 1999, due to over- stocking and to manufacturing moving offshore. The spectacular growth of this market in the mid 1990s was due to demand for titanium clubs by the mainstream golfer, stimulated by skilful marketing and pricing.
World titanium sponge output fell from 120,000t in 1991 to around 67,000t in 1999, as a result of the decline of the industry in the former Soviet Union. Capacity in the USA fell sharply when Allegheny Technologies exited sponge production in 2001.
World consumption of titanium and titanium alloy mill products was about 56,000t in 2000, and a further 29,000t was consumed mainly as ferro-titanium in steel and other alloys. US consumption accounted for about 40% of world demand. |
