Pittsburgh-based Allegheny Technologies Inc. extended a Long-Term Purchase Agreement (LTPA) with Rolls-Royce Plc through 2029, to supply "specialty materials” for rotating discs in Rolls’ Trent engine family.
A Rolls-Royce spokesman referred to specifically to the "disc-quality nickel alloys" covered by the agreement.
“This agreement reliably secures Rolls-Royce’s supply of critical materials for their innovative engine portfolio for the next ten years,” stated ATI president and CEO Robert S. Wetherbee.
Trent engines are a series of high-bypass turbofan aircraft engines for commercial aircraft. Variants of the design are installed to power Airbus A330, A340, A350, and A380 jets, as well as the Boeing 777 and 787 Dreamliner.
ATI manufactures titanium alloys, nickel-based alloys, and superalloys, along with stainless and specialty steels. It also produces finished products (including forgings), and lists aerospace and defense, “particularly jet engines”, as its primary customer group.
Its forging capabilities include isothermal forging, die forging, and ring rolling.
“This agreement covers the production of a wide range of critical products used to make Rolls-Royce’s next-generation jet engines as well as spare parts for in-service engines. It supports ATI’s market-leading alloy development and broad production capabilities, including our isothermal forging operations,” according to John Sims, executive vice president, High Performance Materials and Components Segment.
Sims further noted that Rolls-Royce awarded to ATI a majority share of all materials covered under this LTPA, "in recognition of ATI’s commitment to innovation, quality and operational reliability."