Japanese company Toho Titanium Co. is ramping up output of the metal used to make aircraft amid a shortfall caused by Boeing Co. and Airbus SE avoiding purchases from Russia, the world’s largest supplier.
Toho has won orders from U.S. aviation industry customers who are looking for alternatives to Russian supply, according to Hiromu Tomeba, manager of the corporate planning division. It’s been asked to ship 2,000 to 3,000 tons of titanium sponge to them by the end of the year, he said.
"Customers asked us to expand supplies as they seem to be concerned about future procurement and wanted to pile up stocks,” Tomeba said in an interview. They want to be prepared for a threat to business continuity after Boeing stopped buying from Russia, he said.