Visions - Fall 2012 - (Page 14)

S T E E L & N O N - F E R R O U S M E TA L S B U S I N E S S G R O U P Osaka Titanium 60 r s! Yea S COA’s Non-Ferrous Metal Unit has strong bonds, not just in the strength of the titanium it works to distribute, but in its longstanding titanium business ties, the very ties that have allowed the unit to become a titan in this very profitable venture with Osaka Titanium. Over 14 million pounds of the metal is shipped annually, reflecting a connection that goes back decades. “Since 1952, Sumitomo Corporation has been a sole agent of Osaka Titanium’s metallic titanium sponge export business,” said Takahiro Hayakawa, Product Manager in SCOA’s Non-Ferrous Metals Unit. “SC has been in this business in North America for half a century or so. Having said that, Sumitomo Corporation’s titanium business is highly complex, not just in metal trade, but from raw material to the final products in the marketplace. SCOA helps coordinate the delivery of titanium from Osaka Titanium Technologies to U.S. titanium mill manufacturers like ATI, Allvac, RTI, TIMET, PCC, and others. The U.S. market is very dominant in aerospace, so most of our titanium ends up in aerospace projects, airframe structural materials and jet engines.” Titanium is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal, silver in color and low in density. Titanium can be alloyed with iron and aluminum, among other elements, to produce strong lightweight alloys, and that makes it valuable to manufacturers looking to purchase quality building components. Due to their high tensile strength-to-density ratio, high corrosion resistance, and ability to withstand moderately high temperatures without creeping, titanium alloys have become essential in the building of aircraft, armor-plated vehicles, naval ships, spacecraft, and missiles. “Our role is not just to fulfill the contract, but to build a bridge between Osaka and titanium consumers in the U.S. and in Europe, and our consistent goal is to bring about the long term, long lasting ‘win-win’ relationship. Our task is also to have a stable supply while monitoring the volatile civil aviation market very closely.” Hayakawa said that the secret to our longevity in this business is all about trust – that is, trust of our people, our company, our performance, and most importantly, trust of our titanium’s quality. Currently, titanium is also used to make hip and knee replacements, pacemakers, boneplates and screws, as well as cranial plates for skull fractures. In this area and others, Hayakawa believes that the industry will continue to grow and strengthen, since SCOA’s sound position in the industry gives it close access to various sectors of the market. 14 v i s i o n s F a l l 2 0 1 2

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Visions - Fall 2012

Visions - Fall 2012
Contents
Trust: The Foundation Of SCOA’s Longstanding Businesses
Union Pacific & Canadian National Railway
Chicago Metra
Treadways
Smithfield Foods
SMS Equipment Inc.
Robroy Industries
Osaka Titanium
Hamilton Sundstrand

Visions - Fall 2012