IperionX titanium powder expansion reshapes US titanium supply

IperionX

IperionX titanium powder expansion marks a major step in US titanium reindustrialisation. The company will invest $75mn to lift powder output sevenfold at its Virginia plant. As a result, IperionX titanium powder expansion supports domestic aerospace, defence and additive manufacturing supply chains.

Capacity, technology and cost reduction

The expansion will raise annual powder capacity from 200t to 1,400t by mid 2027. IperionX will add more HAMR furnaces while maintaining spherical powder capacity at 15t per year. Meanwhile, optimisation work has already lifted modular HAMR nameplate capacity by 60pc to 200t per year. These process gains cut unit operating costs by 27pc to $55 per kilogram today. Therefore the company targets $29 per kilogram once the IperionX titanium powder expansion is complete.

Downstream titanium parts and US supply chain impact

IperionX will grow downstream manufacturing alongside the IperionX titanium powder expansion in Virginia. The company targets near net shape production of titanium fasteners, brackets and other structural components. It will also produce mill products, including titanium plate, sheet and bar, for industrial customers. In addition, IperionX plans additive manufactured components using laser and electron beam powder bed fusion. As a result, the project strengthens US titanium value chains from powder through finished parts.

The Metalnomist Commentary

IperionX’s investment highlights how advanced process technology can reset titanium’s cost curve in North America. For aerospace and defence buyers, US based powder and parts capacity reduces reliance on imported sponge and mill products. However, execution on cost targets, quality standards and downstream qualifications will determine how quickly the market adopts this capacity.