Alcoa — the third-largest aluminium producer in the world (behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal), with corporate headquarters in New York — has opened a $90 million manufac-
turing facility in Lafayette, Indiana, to produce third-generation aluminium-lithium alloys for the aerospace industry.

In a statement, Alcoa said that these alloys are less expensive than titanium and composites, while using them results in better fuel efficiency and lower maintenance costs.

A spokesman said that aerospace remains at the centre of Alcoa’s “shift towards value-added products”, as it looks to reduce its dependence on its commodity businesses. The company has a wide portfolio of aluminium-lithium products, including extruded, forged and rolled parts.

It is the market leader in aluminium-lithium extrusions, supplying them for aircraft such as the Airbus A380, Airbus A350, Boeing 787 and Gulfstream G650.