RTI lands metal supply contract

NILES -- RTI International Metals Inc., based in Niles and the largest U.S. titanium supplier, has secured a contract with Europe's largest aerospace group.
RTI announced an agreement through its European subsidiary, RTI Europe Ltd., with the European Aeronautical Defence and Space Company (EADS) to supply titanium products and services through 2008. Financial details of the contract were not announced.
The metal will go into the Airbus family of civil aircraft, including the newest and largest commercial airplane in production, the A380, as well as EADS' military programs.
The contract increases RTI's long-term involvement in these programs and will, in addition to the titanium mill products, supply cut-to-size, machined and water-jet cut parts direct to EADS and Airbus manufacturing plants in France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom from its processing facilities in Europe.
"This contract reflects the success of RTI's fabrication and distribution group to add value to its products and the supply chain, and continues a 30-year partnership with Airbus," said John Odle, executive vice president. RTI, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and distributes titanium and specialty metal mill products, extruded shapes, formed parts and engineered systems for aerospace, industrial, defense, energy, chemical and consumer applications for customers around the world.