Aerolloy VAR furnace boosts India’s titanium casting capability

Aerolloy Technologies

Aerolloy Technologies has commissioned a VAR furnace in Lucknow, India. The Aerolloy VAR furnace expands domestic titanium casting for engines and turbines. Therefore, the Aerolloy VAR furnace strengthens India’s aerospace and defence supply chain.

Why this matters for aerospace programs

The new furnace sits inside PTC’s Aerospace Precision Castings Plant in Lucknow. It enables large titanium castings for aircraft engines and industrial gas turbines. Casting delivers near-net-shape parts, reducing machining time and scrap rates. Meanwhile, Aerolloy also commissioned a VIM furnace for superalloy castings earlier this month.

Customer traction and program links

Aerolloy signed a long-term purchase order with Safran Aircraft Engines in March. The order covers seven cast components for CFM International’s LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B engines. The agreement builds on Safran’s February 2023 approval to develop and supply cast components.

PTC Industries owns Aerolloy as a wholly-owned subsidiary. The company did not disclose capacity figures for the VIM or VAR lines. However, the integrated melt-to-cast setup should improve lead times and sourcing resilience.

The Metalnomist Commentary

India’s melt capability is moving upstream from machining to critical casting. As a result, titanium and superalloy value capture should deepen locally. Watch qualification cycles and yield metrics, which will determine ramp speed into global engine programs.

PTC Industries Enhances Titanium Production with New VAR Furnace

Aerolloy Technologies

PTC Industries, through its subsidiary Aerolloy Technologies, has significantly advanced its capabilities in titanium alloy production by commissioning a new vacuum arc remelting (VAR) furnace. This strategic move positions the Lucknow-based company as a pivotal player in the aerospace and defense sectors, where the demand for high-quality titanium components is steadily increasing.

Expanding Capabilities in a Competitive Market

The newly operational VAR furnace boasts an impressive annual melting capacity of 1,500 metric tonnes, capable of producing titanium alloy ingots up to 1,000mm in diameter and weighing as much as 10 tonnes each. This development is particularly timely, as geopolitical shifts—especially the ongoing conflict in Ukraine—have pressured Western companies to diversify their titanium sources away from traditional suppliers like Russia's VSMPO-AVISMA.

Strategic Growth and Product Diversification

PTC Industries' acquisition of the VAR furnace in 2022 marks a significant step in its expansion within the global titanium supply chain. Notably, PTC Industries already serves prestigious clients such as Safran Aircraft Engines and BAE Systems, supplying various titanium casting parts. The addition of the VAR furnace enhances PTC's product offering, which now includes billets, bars, rods, and soon, plates and sheets from its newly acquired hot-rolling mill.

Aerolloy VAR titanium castings boost India’s aerospace supply chain

Aerolloy

Indian Aerolloy VAR titanium castings mark a major step in domestic aerospace materials capability. Aerolloy Technologies has commissioned a vacuum arc remelting (VAR) furnace at PTC’s Aerospace Precision Castings Plant in Lucknow. The Aerolloy VAR titanium castings will support aircraft engines, industrial gas turbines and other high-spec defence applications.

Aerolloy VAR titanium castings move India up the value chain

The new VAR furnace allows Aerolloy to melt and refine large titanium castings to demanding aerospace standards. This move reduces dependence on imported titanium components and strengthens India’s position in global engine supply chains. Crucially, Aerolloy VAR titanium castings provide near-net-shape parts, cutting machining time and lowering scrap rates.

Earlier this month, Aerolloy also brought a vacuum induction melting (VIM) furnace online for superalloy castings. Together, VIM and VAR create an integrated melt route from alloy production to critical rotating and structural parts. As a result, Aerolloy can offer titanium and superalloy castings with tighter metallurgical control and better consistency.

Capacity figures for the new furnaces are undisclosed, but the strategic impact is clear. India now fields a more complete suite of advanced melt technologies previously concentrated in North America, Europe and Japan. This enhances resilience for engine OEMs seeking diversified, multi-regional sources of titanium and nickel-based superalloy castings.

Safran LEAP engine contracts underline export potential

Commercial traction is already emerging around the new melt shop. In March, Aerolloy signed a long-term purchase order with Safran Aircraft Engines. The deal covers seven cast engine components for CFM International LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B engines.

The Safran contract builds on earlier qualification in 2023, when Aerolloy was approved to develop and supply cast parts. Therefore, the new Aerolloy VAR titanium castings capability is anchored by real engine programmes, not just speculative capacity. This alignment with LEAP engines, a high-volume narrowbody workhorse, signals meaningful export potential.

In parallel, India’s defence and industrial gas turbine markets stand to benefit from localised casting capability. Domestic programmes can now source critical titanium castings and superalloy components without relying solely on imports. Over time, this may encourage further investment in upstream titanium sponge, alloy ingots and recycling to support a full circular ecosystem.

The Metalnomist Commentary

India’s quiet build-out of VIM–VAR casting capacity is reshaping the global map for titanium and superalloy supply. Aerolloy’s progress shows how targeted investments, paired with anchor orders from OEMs like Safran, can rapidly elevate a new hub into the aerospace tier-one conversation. The next strategic question is how fast India can complement these furnaces with deeper raw material and recycling infrastructure.

PTC Industries Secures Titanium Sponge Supply Deal with ATTM

PTC Industries

Strengthening India's Aerospace Titanium Supply Chain

Indian manufacturer PTC Industries has entered into a strategic titanium sponge supply agreement with Amic Toho Titanium Metal (ATTM) of Saudi Arabia. This partnership follows PTC's recent commissioning of a vacuum arc remelt (VAR) furnace, a move aimed at boosting India's titanium ingot production capacity.

Expanding Titanium Ingots Production in India

PTC’s subsidiary, Aerolloy Technologies, operates the newly launched VAR furnace, which boasts a 1,500 t/yr melting capacity. This advanced facility can produce aerospace-grade titanium ingots, a critical material for aviation, defense, and high-performance industries. The agreement with ATTM ensures a stable supply of titanium sponge, a vital raw material for ingot production.

Titanium sponge is melted alongside titanium scrap and master alloys, such as aluminum-vanadium, to form high-quality titanium ingots. However, India's domestic supply of titanium scrap remains limited, making imports from regions like Europe and Asia essential for a balanced melt mix.

ATTM’s Aerospace-Grade Titanium Expertise

ATTM, one of only four titanium sponge producers approved for aerospace applications, operates with a 15,600 t/yr nameplate capacity. This positions the company as a crucial supplier for PTC’s ambitions to expand India’s aerospace and high-performance titanium alloy capabilities.

By securing this agreement, PTC enhances its ability to meet the growing demand for high-quality titanium products, reducing reliance on fluctuating global scrap markets. The move aligns with India's vision of strengthening its aerospace and defense supply chains, reinforcing the nation's push for self-reliance in critical materials.

Aerospace-grade titanium ingot order strengthens India’s space titanium supply chain

PTC Industries

India’s aerospace-grade titanium ingot order signals faster domestic capability for space programs. PTC will execute this aerospace-grade titanium ingot order for ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Center. As a result, the deal accelerates India’s push for reliable 6Al-4V capacity.

From titanium sponge to 6Al-4V ingots for space hardware

The contract centers on converting 40 tonnes of Grade 1 titanium sponge into 6Al-4V ingots. PTC will use double vacuum arc remelting to hit aerospace consistency. Meanwhile, its Aerolloy unit already commissioned VAR and VIM furnaces in September.

PTC also positions the order as a stepping stone to wider aerospace qualification. Therefore, the company can translate space-grade deliveries into broader defense demand. The aerospace-grade titanium ingot order also validates its process route for premium alloys.

PAM scale-up expands scrap flexibility and alloy development

Aerolloy completed installation of a plasma arc melting furnace in Lucknow. The PAM line targets 600 tonnes per year of titanium ingots. Meanwhile, Aerolloy plans trial loads as commissioning begins.

The PAM furnace improves yield control when using turnings and smaller scrap forms. However, scrap sourcing still requires strict segregation and chemistry discipline. Therefore, PAM plus VAR can support smaller-batch “exotic” alloy programs with tighter specifications.

PTC is also building a fully integrated titanium platform across the value chain. The company aims to add upstream sponge and expand casting and machining services. Meanwhile, supply agreements with aerospace primes support longer-term demand visibility.

The Metalnomist Commentary

This order matters because it links space procurement to scalable industrial melting capacity. However, qualification depth will decide whether PTC wins recurring engine and airframe work. The winners will pair melting scale with repeatable metallurgy and inspection throughput.

PTC and Odisha Plan Titanium Sponge Facility

PTC Industries

PTC Industries and the Odisha government have signed an MoU to establish an aerospace-grade titanium sponge facility. This project aims to boost India's domestic titanium production.

Strategic Investment to Enhance Titanium Supply

While details on capacity, investment, and timeline are undisclosed, the facility will position PTC as an integrated titanium producer. The Odisha government is providing industrial ecosystem support and infrastructure incentives. This announcement follows PTC's commissioning of a VAR furnace in Lucknow and a supply agreement with AMIC Toho Titanium Metal (ATTM). India, with the third-largest ilmenite reserves, currently lags in titanium sponge production. The country relies on imports to support its growing aerospace sector.

Addressing India's Titanium Production Gap

Currently, India's titanium sponge production is limited to Kerala Minerals & Metals' 500 t/yr facility. This new facility aims to address this gap. For context, the ATTM joint venture in Saudi Arabia, with a 15,600 t/yr capacity, required approximately five years from announcement to commercial production and a $420 million investment.