RTI Area plant stops taking orders for titanium tubing products

WEATHERSFIELD -- RTI Commercial Products, a Hermitage, Pa., unit of RTI International Metals, is no longer taking new orders for its welded titanium tubing products because of a problem getting titanium coiled strip from its usual supplier.
Titanium coiled strip, also known as skelp, is rolled and welded into tubing at the Hermitage plant.
Richard Leone, an RTI spokesman, said the plant usually buys its alloy-free coiled titanium strip from Uniti Titanium, a joint venture between Allegheny Technologies and VSMPO of Russia. Uniti is unable to meet its orders because of a decreased titanium supply from Russia, he said.
RTI Commercial Products expects to have enough material to complete its existing orders, but no new orders will be taken.
Leone said officials will look for alternative sources of skelp first. If no alternative sources are found, the company will use the plant to service other product lines.
The company said its other businesses and mill products are not affected.
RMI Titanium, the company's Weathersfield-based titanium mill, does not produce skelp, Leone said.
That facility is being operated by management and other salaried employees while about 340 unionized workers, members of United Steelworkers of America Locals 2155 and 2155-7, have been locked out since last October.