Chinese superalloys in western airline engines?

The likelihood of China making further inroads into the specialist markets of superalloys was advanced at the recent BIR convention in Valencia.

Markus Moll, md of German consultancy SMR, told the stainless steel committee session that the US had been the biggest producer of superalloys but China was now in first place.

Even so, he pointed out, the Chinese had not yet entered the key class market of rotating parts in jet engines made from superalloys.

‘They do produce high performance alloys; they do it for their military contracts, of course. So the big question is, when will the first engine made in China be used on an IATA certificated plane? There are different opinions on this: some say it won’t happen in 20 years. I don’t think so.’

Joint venture?

Moll argued a major aircraft engine manufacturer could be forced into a joint venture with a Chinese producer.

‘I believe that within the next five to 10 years, China will make a big jump into superalloys for jet engines. Indonesia, too, with their class one nickel production lines built for batteries, will also focus on superalloys. I’m just waiting for Tsingshan [the world’s biggest steel producer] to go into superalloys, and then hallelujah.’

Scrap would be a key issue, Moll argued, because there is no superalloy scrap to speak of in China. The competitiveness of any producer depended on them getting prime quality scrap, most of which currently flows into the US – so that would be a big opportunity for traders.