IBC Advanced Alloys Corp. has closed its investment casting plant in Wilmington, MA, citing “insufficient long-term demand for cast beryllium-aluminum alloy products and the resulting continuing losses.” An auction of the 62,000 sq.ft. “late model investment casting foundry” is scheduled to take place later this month.
The IBC Engineered Materials division was established in March 2010 when the company acquired the former Beralcast foundry and opened a new investment casting operation the following year. It manufactured near-net-shape products in the proprietary Beralcast® metal matrix materials for commercial and military applications.
The beryllium-aluminum alloys were widely recognized for their application in aerospace and defense programs, in particular the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Other applications include disk-drive armatures, automotive brake and structural components, advanced cycling rims, and aerospace and satellite system components.
“The IBC team worked very hard over a dozen years to expand markets for its innovative beryllium-aluminum cast alloy products,” stated chairman and CEO Mark A. Smith, “but sufficient steady, long-term market demand simply did not materialize at a level that allowed for consistently profitable operations.”
IBC continues to manufacture a range of beryllium-copper alloy forgings and rolled rings at a plant in Franklin, IN.
“By focusing on growing our Copper Alloys business at our integrated and highly efficient foundry in Indiana, we see significant opportunity to expand the business to a whole new level and seek consistent profitability,” according to Smith.