Record titanium casting heads to Japan from South Yorkshire

Castings Technology International made the component using a cermaic mould and several new techniques that relied on expertise in metallurgy and advanced foundry methodology. Some 2,650lbs (1.2T) of metal had to be melted.

The piece is being exported to Japan this week and will be used in an industrial pump handling highly corrosive, hot substances.

It marks an incredible turnaround for the company, which had been earmarked for closure when owned by Sheffield University last year. The firm was eventually sold to managers in January in a deal that saved 60 jobs. Since then, it has raised £2m for growth and hired 15 staff.

Now it is making headlines.

CTI, which has had £25m of government money to perfect its technology, is a world-leader in castings for aerospace and defence.

It has casting capabilities in almost any type of metal alloy and a 1,200kg titanium vacuum melting capability, which ranks it as one of the largest in the world.

In conjunction with customers’, CTI casts complex components supplied into the aerospace, defence, chemical nuclear and marine markets.

The firm is based on the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Rotherham.

Two of those involved in the casting were George Appleby who joined CTi as an apprentice in 2018 and today runs the ceramic shelling room. Vilma Klimaviciene also started with CTi in 2018 and works in the titanium finishing department.

Managing director Richard Cook and local entrepreneur Kevin Parkin led the buy-out in January.

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Thank you. Nancy Fielder, editor.