IBC Advanced Alloys Corp. ("IBC" or the "Company") has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding ("MOU") with Nu-Cast, Inc. ("Nu-Cast"), based in Londonderry, NH, to collaborate with IBC on new beryllium-aluminum investment casting projects and opportunities, initially for the aerospace sector.
The MOU outlines a framework for increasing manufacturing capacity and improving production efficiencies of IBC's proprietary near-net-shape beryllium aluminum castings. The parties will also focus on joint business development initiatives aimed at increasing market share for IBC's castings which offer significant costs savings and improved delivery times compared to the existing production methods.
IBC's casting process has a long and successful history, with over 250,000 castings produced to date, and both companies have identified opportunities for significant growth in the aerospace and other markets. A proposed IBC-Nu-Cast initiative will combine the two companies' complementary skills to address this exciting opportunity and to drive both sector and application growth.
Founded in 1985, Nu-Cast is a recognized global leader of complex aluminum investment castings specializing in large lightweight structures for electronic, optical and aerospace projects. Nu-Cast has an established client base, which includes NASA agencies as well as top tier defense and military contractors including Lockheed-Martin, General Dynamics, Honeywell, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and many others.
The two Companies have identified opportunities to improve manufacturing and marketing efficiencies for beryllium aluminum castings to support future growth. Nu-Cast has extensive experience with aluminum investment castings that will complement IBC's beryllium aluminum casting expertise. Pursuant to the MOU, the parties will initially evaluate and develop opportunities to expand IB-EMC's proprietary Beralcast® alloys for aerospace applications.
"Nu-Cast has successfully served the aerospace sector for almost three decades and is an excellent complement to IBC's technology, team and corporate vision," said Don McKitterick, President of Nu-Cast. "Beryllium aluminum alloys have a long history of superior performance in aerospace sector," continued McKitterick, "By combining IBC's propriety and cost effective castings with Nu-Cast's manufacturing and marketing experience, we believe there is enormous potential for growth and we look forward to working with IBC on this opportunity."
"There are many immediate synergies between IBC and Nu-Cast where we can share our respective know-how to better serve the aerospace industry," said Anthony Dutton, President of IBC. "We are delighted to work with Nu-Cast, who has a long and distinguished track record in the aerospace business, and to mutually increase opportunities for Beralcast® in the aerospace sector and other industries requiring high performance precision castings."
As recently disclosed, IB-EMC is in the final stages of an advanced qualification process with Lockheed-Martin's Electro-optical Targeting System (EOTS) team in Orlando, FL. IB-EMC is working with the EOTS engineering, design and quality teams to qualify the Company's Beralcast® alloys as effective alternatives to improve lead time and affordability of beryllium aluminum aerospace components. IB-EMC has completed several advanced prototype castings which are being used to evaluate Beralcast® alloys and castings for high performance optical aerospace components on Lockheed-Martin's F-35 Lightning II aircraft.
Beralcast® alloys can be used in virtually any high performance application requiring complex, lightweight and high-stiffness parts and can be substituted for aluminum, magnesium, titanium, metal matrix composites as well as pure beryllium or powder metallurgy beryllium-aluminum. Beralcast's® principal alloys are more than three times stiffer than aluminum with 22% less weight and can be precision-cast for simple and complex three-dimensional stability. These high modulus alloys are ideal for high performance industrial and high tech components as well as for a wide range of aerospace applications.
Source: ibcadvancedalloys.com
