The US Department of Defense (DOD) awarded domestic titanium producer IperionX a five-year contract worth up to $99mn to supply titanium components for the US Army.
The deal aims to streamline the DOD's procurement process by creating a funding mechanism that allows sub-agencies to submit orders for IperionX's products that the Pentagon already has validated, the North Carolina-based company said on Thursday.
IperionX expects to begin initial production of titanium fasteners for defense projects "in the coming months" at its manufacturing campus in Virginia. Under terms of the contract, the company can also supply other products, which may include near-net-shape parts and semi-finished goods.
The company received the phase III contract through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, which is administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA).
IperionX aims to be a fully integrated titanium producer, touting that its scrap-to-forging technology cuts costs and improves yields compared to traditional manufacturing practices for the lightweight metal.