Armor Steel targets international defense market.
Press Release Summary:
Designed to meet MIL-DTL-46100E high-hard specifications for ballistic performance, ATI 500-MIL(TM) is suited for use in medium- and heavy-weight tactical vehicles, armored patrol cars, and above-deck structures on ships and aboard aircraft in perforated versions. Auto-tempered specialty steel does not require quench/temper treatment, and can handle hot/cold forming processes. Available in plate form in 3/16 to 1 in. thickness and up to 96 x 300 in. size, it can also be customized.
Original Press Release:
Allegheny Technologies Unveils New Specialty Armor Steel for U.S. and International Defense Markets
PITTSBURGH & PARIS - June 16, 2008 - The first new, high-hard steel armor developed in America since the Vietnam conflict was introduced to the defense market today by Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:ATI). It offers a modern means of protection - backed by unsurpassed manufacturing capabilities - at a time of critical demand for land, sea and airborne systems.
This next-generation armor steel, designated ATI 500-MIL(TM), is being introduced by ATI at this week's Eurosatory show in Paris, France (exhibit stand: Booth J-160B, USA Pavilion).
ATI 500-MIL(TM) armor steel is designed to meet the new U.S. MIL-DTL-46100E high-hard specifications for ballistic performance and is being qualified for NATO and other international standards. It protects against such threats as armor-piercing rounds while also offering good blast-resistance properties.
Applications range from medium- and heavy-weight tactical vehicles to armored patrol cars, above-deck structures on ships, and aboard aircraft in perforated versions.
The advantages of ATI 500-MIL(TM) armor steel include markedly improved flatness over other high-hard steel products, better hardness consistency, minimal distortion when cut, the ability to use hot or cold forming processes, and the capability to introduce bends in the material without weldments. In addition, the specialty steel is auto-tempered, which does not require the normal quench and temper treatment.
"ATI's new monolithic armor alloy is backed by the full development, melting, machining, milling and production resources of ATI - one of the world's largest and most diversified specialty metals companies," said Pat Hassey, ATI's Chairman, President and CEO. "In addition, as ATI 500-MIL armor steel is melted and rolled in the U.S., the product is fully compliant with U.S. government acquisition requirements, and meets the highest standards for use in America and by allied countries."
ATI 500-MIL steel is available in plate form, with sheet product currently in development by ATI. It can be installed on new vehicles and systems as well as retrofitted on legacy systems. The specialty armor plate is offered in thickness gauges from 3/16 inch to 1 inch (0.5 to 2.5 cm), and in sizes as large as 96 X 300 inches (243-763 cm), with customized manufacturing solutions available to meet customers' specific needs.
"The market introduction of ATI 500-MIL armor steel comes at a time when demand for high-hard specialty metals is strong. Lead times are long for military contractors and fabricators. ATI has the capacity to meet immediate and near-term demand, with the production capacity for future demand that the product is expected to generate," Hassey noted.
To reinforce its focus on the defense industry, ATI has created a market-sector team, ATI Defense, which integrates the combined resources of ATI Allegheny Ludlum, ATI Allvac, ATI Wah Chang and ATI Engineered Products, and offers an increasingly broad array of military sector products, as well as engineering and fabrication services for customers.
According to Andy Nichols, Director of ATI Defense, ATI supplies military grades of titanium, nickel-based alloys, specialty alloys, zirconium, tungsten, and other specialty metals suitable for structural, ballistic armoring and corrosive-environment applications. The company's capabilities extend to machining and milling tools for armoring alloys and ordnance. The Company's services include metallurgical-application assessment, engineering, testing, melting, and mill products and near-net parts fabrication.
ATI is bolstering its overall manufacturing capacity and capabilities in a $900+ million company-wide investment program, which offers reliability and stability of supply, along with a commitment to develop new technologies in aerospace, defense, chemical process industry, oil and gas, electrical energy, and medical markets.
ATI is a strategic supplier to a growing number of manufacturers and operators of land, naval and air defense systems.
Building the World's Best Specialty Metals Company(TM)
Allegheny Technologies Incorporated is one of the largest and most diversified specialty metals producers in the world with revenues of $5.5 billion during 2007. ATI has approximately 9,700 full-time employees world-wide who use innovative technologies to offer growing global markets a wide range of specialty metals solutions. Our major markets are aerospace and defense, chemical process industry/oil and gas, electrical energy, medical, automotive, food equipment and appliance, machine and cutting tools, and construction and mining. Our products include titanium and titanium alloys, nickel-based alloys and superalloys, stainless and specialty alloys, grain-oriented electrical steel, zirconium, hafnium, and niobium, tungsten materials, and forgings and castings. The Allegheny Technologies website is www.alleghenytechnologies.com.
CONTACT:
Dan L. Greenfield
(412) 394-3004
