Allegheny Technologies Incorporated ("ATI") is one of the largest and
most diversified specialty materials producers in the world. We use innovative
technologies to offer global markets a wide range of specialty materials. High-value
products include super stainless steel, nickel-based and cobalt-based alloys and
superalloys, titanium and titanium alloys, specialty steels, tungsten materials,
exotic alloys, which include zirconium, hafnium and niobium, and highly engineered
strip and Precision Rolled Strip(R) products. In addition, we produce commodity
specialty materials such as stainless steel sheet and plate, silicon electrical
and tool steels, and carbon alloy steel impression die forgings and large grey
and ductile iron castings.
Specialty materials play a significant role in our lives. Allegheny Technologies
is a world leader in the manufacture of both high value and commodity specialty
materials products.Specialty materials are produced in a variety of forms, including
sheet, strip, foil, plate, slab, ingot, billet, bar, rod, wire, coil, tubing,
and shapes, and are selected for use in environments that demand materials having
exceptional hardness, toughness, strength, resistance to heat, corrosion or
abrasion, or a combination of these characteristics. Common end uses of our
products include jet engines, air frames, electrical energy generation and distribution,
automotive, chemical processing, oil and gas, construction and mining, machine
and cutting tools, appliances and food equipment, transportation, and medical
equipment and implants.
COMPETITION
Markets for both our high value and commodity products and services in each
of our principal business segments are highly competitive. We compete with many
manufacturers who, depending on the product involved, range from large diversified
enterprises to smaller companies specializing in particular products. Factors
that affect our competitive position are manufacturing costs, industry manufacturing
capacity, the quality of our products, services and delivery capabilities, our
capabilities to produce a wide range of specialty materials in various unique
alloys and product forms, our technological capabilities including our research
and development efforts, our marketing strategies and price.
Other major producers of products in each of the business segments are as follows:
FLAT-ROLLED PRODUCTS SEGMENT
Stainless steel
o AK Steel Corporation
o J&L Specialty Steel, LLC, owned by Arcelor S.A. (France)
o North American Stainless (NAS), owned by Acerinox S.A.
(Spain)
o Nucor Corporation
o Outokumpu Stainless Plate Products, owned by Outokumpu Oyj
(Finland)
o Imports from
- Acesita S.A. (Brazil)
- Arcelor S.A. (France)
- Columbus Stainless (Pty) Ltd (S. Africa)
- Mexinox S.A. de C.V., group member of ThyssenKrupp AG
- Slater Steel Inc., owns Atlas Stainless (Canada)
- ThyssenKrupp AG (Germany)
- Ta Chen International Corporation (Taiwan)
HIGH PERFORMANCE METALS SEGMENT
Nickel-based alloys and specialty steels
o Carpenter Technology Corporation
o Special Metals Corporation
o ThyssenKrupp VDM, a company of ThyssenKrupp Stainless
(Germany)
Titanium
o Titanium Metals Corporation
o RMI Titanium, an RTI International Metals Company
o VSMPO - AVISMA (Russia)
Exotic Alloys
o Cezus, a group member of AREVA (France)
o HC Stark, a division of the Bayer Group (Germany)
o Western Zirconium Plant of Westinghouse Electric Company,
part of the Nuclear Utilities Business Group of British
Nuclear Fuels (BNFL)
ENGINEERED PRODUCTS SEGMENT
Tungsten and Tungsten Carbide Products
o Kennametal Inc.
o Iscar (Israel)
o Sandvik AB (Sweden)
o Seco Tools AB (Sweden), owned by Sandvik AB (Sweden)
RAW MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES
Substantially all parts and materials required in the manufacture of our products
are available from more than one supplier and the sources and availability of
raw materials essential to our businesses are adequate.
The principal raw materials we use in the production of our specialty materials
are scrap (including iron-, nickel-, chromium-, titanium- and molybdenum-bearing
scrap), nickel, titanium sponge, zirconium sand and sponge, ferrochromium, ferrosilicon,
molybdenum and molybdenum alloys, ammonium paratungstate, manganese and manganese
alloys, cobalt, niobium, vanadium and other alloying materials.