Latrobe Steel inks special defense supply deal with DoD

Friday, 19 Dec 2008

Latrobe Specialty Steel announced that it has inked a technology investment agreement with US Department of Defense to reduce production and delivery lead times by increasing production capacity for specific vacuum melted or re melted alloys.

According to a Latrobe press release, vacuum melted specialty steels become militarily essential parts like rotor shafts for helicopters, hot sections of jet engines or torsion bars on fighting vehicles.

Latrobe will contribute approximately USD 53.45 million to match Department of Defense's USD 16.6 million award. Latrobe's new vacuum melting facility and its support facilities will be built in Westmoreland and Venango counties of Pennsylvania.

According to the press release, the impetus for this specific project came from the Army's Aviation and Missile Command in Huntsville, Ala., and started in 2004. Three studies spanning more than two years confirmed that a lack of vacuum melted, high strength, iron based steels hurts troop readiness.

Mr Hans Sack CEO of Latrobe said that "Every employee at Latrobe Specialty Steel understands the essential role our vacuum melted steels play in the defense of the U.S. and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This investment by both the Department of Defense and Latrobe means that replacement parts made from life critical vacuum melted alloys reach the troops when they are needed."