Titanium shipments sprinting toward record on 3d-qtr. gain

Dec 29, 2006 | 01:16 PM | Frank Haflich

Despite a slow start in 2006, U.S. titanium shipments are now in line to match their all-time record on the strength of a third quarter that was 37 percent ahead of the year-earlier period.

Domestic shipments of mill products totaled 7,650 tonnes (16.9 million pounds) in the third quarter compared with 5,570 tonnes in the third quarter of 2005, according to figures released by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), which said 73 percent of mill product and castings shipments during the period were shipped for aerospace applications. The third quarter also matched the 7,610 tonnes shipped in the second quarter.

If this pace continues in the fourth quarter, shipments should hit the record 65.7 million pounds shipped in 1997. Industry sources pointed out that while demand has reached record levels during the past two years, the industry has struggled to meet this demand, although it appeared to make progress toward narrowing the gap in 2006.....