Allegheny Technologies’s (ATI) board of directors has given its approval to a $95m investment to boost its iso-thermal forging and heat treating capacities to meet the increasing demand from the aerospace jet engine market.

This investment will be spent on ATI’s fourth iso-thermal press and associated heat treating centre in Cudahy, Wisconsin, US. Work will take approximately three years to complete and fully qualify for aerospace-related production.

ATI chairman, president and CEO Rich Harshman said: “We continue to invest in our advanced forging capabilities in support of our aerospace customer’s ramp-up of next-generation jet engine production.

“Iso-thermal is the most technologically advanced forging method available today and ATI’s ongoing leadership in this area is further solidified by this significant investment.”

“Once completed and fully qualified, this critical growth project will enable us to meet the increasing production requirements for existing long-term agreements with our engine OEM partners.

“Iso-thermal is the most technologically advanced forging method available today and ATI’s ongoing leadership in this area is further solidified by this significant investment.”

HPMC Segment executive vice-president John Sims said: “This investment, along with our recent nickel-based superalloy powder expansion in Monroe, NC, will enable the High Performance Materials and Components (HPMC) segment to meet its longer-term financial goals by increasing our capacity to produce technologically advanced powder-to-iso-thermally-forged jet engine components.

“We are excited to add this capacity to our existing iso-thermal forging centre of excellence in Cudahy, WI, and to deepen our commitment to the state of Wisconsin and to our local workforce.”

ATI is a manufacturer of advanced specialty materials and complex components. It posted revenue of $3.5bn for last year.