IperionX and Vegas Fastener Manufacturing team up to supply US Army with titanium fasteners
Australian company IperionX (ASX: IPX) and US-based Vegas Fastener Manufacturing will partner up to develop and manufacture titanium alloy fasteners and precision components for supply to the US Army Ground Vehicle Systems Centre.
The centre is a research and development facility for advanced technology in ground systems including robotics, autonomy, survivability, power, mobility, intelligent systems, maneuver support and sustainment.
Under the terms of the partnership, IperionX will provide its high-performance titanium pre-forms and near-net shapes to Vegas for machining to design specifications and quantities.
Specification criteria including final quantities, cost share and delivery dates will be mutually agreed upon and executed through purchase orders during the prototyping phase.
IperionX and Vegas will also enter into a manufacturing services agreement governing the commercial conditions for mass production of titanium fasteners and components.
The partnership will remain in force until April 2026 and can be terminated by either company with 30 days’ notice.
Fastener deal
In a separate arrangement, IperionX and Vegas will design, engineer and produce titanium fasteners for critical sectors such as the aerospace, naval, oil and gas, pulp and paper, power generation and chemical industries.
These sectors demand fasteners that provide solid strength-to-weight ratios and superior corrosion resistance for high-performance applications.
The global market for industrial fasteners, valued at approximately US$95 billion in 2023, is projected to grow at nearly 5% annually from 2024 to 2030 with the US one of the largest markets.
Local manufacture
IperionX chief executive officer Anastasios Arima said the partnership would benefit local manufacturing.
“Our partnership with Vegas will help develop and produce innovative fastener products for advanced markets that demand high strength, lower weight and superior corrosion resistance,” he said.
“We believe our combined expertise will produce innovative solutions for customers and strengthen America’s manufacturing independence.”
Rigorous vetting
Associate Director of US DEVCOM Ground Vehicle Materials Engineering Brandon Pender said there was a rigorous process prior to selecting IperionX’s product.
“We looked at a combination of advanced manufacturing and titanium to help us improve both corrosion mitigation and light-weighting in army ground vehicles,” he said.
“Any relationship we can pursue to make titanium more affordable, as IperionX can potentially do, is valuable to us.”
“The potential to produce titanium, with all of its capabilities, that is cost-competitive with aluminium and steel helps us improve the operational performance and readiness of army ground systems.”