UKAD (a JV by Eramet subsidiary Aubert & Duval), ADEME and Crédit Agricole Centre France has inaugurated the EcoTitanium site in Saintâ?Georges-deâ?Mons (Puy-de-Dôme, France). The first plant in Europe to produce aviation-grade titanium by recycling, EcoTitanium makes alloys from titanium solid scrap and chips collected from major aircraft makers and their subcontractors.
The project is a EUR 48M investment, which strengthens the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regionâs metallurgical skills cluster and helps to energise the Combrailles labour market.
At full capacity, EcoTitanium will produce several thousand tons of titanium alloy ingot per year to meet high growth in demand for titanium in aviation markets.
Titanium and its alloys provide this industry with valuable properties: lightness (44% lighter than steel), excellent corrosion resistance, and advanced mechanical characteristics.
EcoTitaniumâs recycling route will prevent the emission of 100,000 tons of CO2 by consuming 4 times less that the conventional, ore-based production supply chain. To support the creation of this environmentally responsible stream in Europe, the European Investment Bank (EIB) granted a EUR 30M loan for EcoTitanium funding.
