Alcoa to Supply 3D-Printed Metal Parts for Airbus Aircraft

April 7, 2016
  • Alcoa to supply 3D-printed titanium fuselage and engine pylon parts
  • Agreement to leverage Alcoa’s comprehensive capabilities from advanced alloy development to finished part production
  • Supply agreement draws on new technologies gained through RTI acquisition and organic expansions

Lightweight metals leader Alcoa (NYSE:AA) has entered into an agreement
with Airbus to supply 3D-printed titanium fuselage and engine pylon
components for Airbus commercial aircraft. Alcoa expects to deliver the
first additive manufactured parts to Airbus in mid-2016.

“We are proud to partner with Airbus to help pave the way to the future
of aerospace development and manufacturing,” said Alcoa Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer Klaus Kleinfeld. “The unique combination of our
multi-material alloy development expertise, powder production
capabilities, aerospace manufacturing strength and product qualification
know-how position us to lead in this exciting, emerging space.”

Airbus chose to work with Alcoa because of its comprehensive
capabilities, from materials science leadership to additive
manufacturing and aerospace parts qualification. The agreement will draw
on Alcoa’s decades of aerospace experience and new technologies gained
through the recent acquisition of RTI and organic expansion in
Whitehall, Michigan. Alcoa also recently invested in 3D-printing and
metallic powder production capabilities at its technical center outside
of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

  • Last year, Alcoa acquired
    RTI International Metals
    (RTI)—now known as Alcoa Titanium &
    Engineered Products (ATEP)—which grew Alcoa’s additive manufacturing
    capabilities to include 3D-printed titanium and specialty metals parts
    produced at ATEP’s Austin, Texas facility. The Airbus agreement will
    draw on these capabilities as well as ATEP’s titanium ingot melting
    and billetizing, machining, finishing and inspection technologies.
  • Alcoa will employ advanced CT scan and Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP)
    capabilities at its advanced aerospace facility in Whitehall,
    Michigan. HIP is a technology that strengthens the metallic structures
    of traditional and additive manufactured parts made of titanium and
    nickel based superalloys. Through a $22
    million investment
    in the technology in Whitehall, Michigan, Alcoa
    today owns and operates one of the largest aerospace HIP technology
    complexes in the world.
  • Additionally, Alcoa is bolstering its additive manufacturing
    capabilities through a
    $60 million expansion
    in advanced 3D-printing materials and
    processes, including metallic powders. The expansion is located at the
    Alcoa Technical Center near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the world’s
    largest light metals research center.

Details of this agreement with Airbus were not disclosed.

Alcoa Aerospace

Alcoa’s aerospace businesses will form part of the Value-Add Company, to
be named Arconic,
following Alcoa’s
separation
in the second half of 2016. Arconic will be a premier
innovator of high performance multi-material products and solutions in
attractive growth markets, including aerospace. This agreement is
Alcoa’s latest with Airbus, building on last year’s fastening
systems agreement
valued at approximately $1 billion. That deal was
Alcoa’s largest fastener contract ever with the aircraft manufacturer.
Alcoa’s fasteners fly on every Airbus platform.

About Alcoa

A global leader in lightweight metals technology, engineering and
manufacturing, Alcoa innovates multi-material solutions that advance our
world. Our technologies enhance transportation, from automotive and
commercial transport to air and space travel, and improve industrial and
consumer electronics products. We enable smart buildings, sustainable
food and beverage packaging, high-performance defense vehicles across
air, land and sea, deeper oil and gas drilling and more efficient power
generation. We pioneered the aluminum industry over 125 years ago, and
today, our more than 60,000 people in 30 countries deliver value-add
products made of titanium, nickel and aluminum, and produce
best-in-class bauxite, alumina and primary aluminum products. For more
information, visit www.alcoa.com,
follow @Alcoa on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Alcoa and
follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Alcoa.

In the second half of 2016, Alcoa will separate into two
industry-leading, Fortune 500 companies. The innovation and
technology-driven Value-Add Company will include Global Rolled Products,
Engineered Products and Solutions, and Transportation and Construction
Solutions. The globally competitive Upstream Company will comprise five
strong business units that today make up Global Primary
Products—Bauxite, Alumina, Aluminum, Cast Products and Energy.

Forward Looking Statements Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains statements that relate to future events and
expectations and as such constitute forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Forward-looking statements include those containing such words as
“anticipates,” “estimates,” “expects,” “may,” “plans,” “projects,”
“should,” “will,” “would,” or other words of similar meaning. All
statements that reflect Alcoa’s expectations, assumptions or projections
about the future other than statements of historical fact are
forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements
regarding the separation transaction; the future performance of
Value-Add Company if the separation is completed; projections of
competitive position, market share, growth opportunities, revenues or
other financial items of Value-Add Company; the expected timing of
completion of the separation; and projections regarding growth of the
aerospace and other end markets. Forward-looking statements are not
guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks,
uncertainties, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to
predict. Although Alcoa believes that the expectations reflected in any
forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can
give no assurance that these expectations will be attained and it is
possible that actual results may differ materially from those indicated
by these forward-looking statements due to a variety of risks and
uncertainties. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited
to: (a) uncertainties as to the timing of the separation and whether it
will be completed; (b) the possibility that various closing conditions
for the separation may not be satisfied; (c) failure of the separation
to qualify for the expected tax treatment; (d) the possibility that any
third-party consents required in connection with the separation will not
be received; (e) the impact of the separation on the businesses of
Alcoa; (f) the risk that the businesses will not be separated
successfully or such separation may be more difficult, time-consuming or
costly than expected, which could result in additional demands on
Alcoa’s resources, systems, procedures and controls, disruption of its
ongoing business and diversion of management’s attention from other
business concerns; (g) the potential failure to retain key employees
while the separation transaction is pending or after it is completed;
(h) deterioration in global economic and financial market conditions
generally; (i) unfavorable changes in the markets served by Alcoa,
including the aerospace market; (j) Alcoa’s inability to realize
expected benefits, in each case as planned and by targeted completion
dates, from the separation transaction or from acquisitions and
expansions; and (k) the other risk factors discussed in Alcoa’s Form
10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, and other reports filed with
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Alcoa disclaims any
obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether in
response to new information, future events or otherwise, except as
required by applicable law. Market projections are subject to the risks
discussed above and other risks in the market.

Alcoa
Investor Contact
Matthew Garth, 212-836-2714
Matthew.Garth@alcoa.com
or
Media Contact
Christa Bowers, 212-836-2605
Christa.Bowers@alcoa.com