BUSINESS NEWS MARCH 4, 2019 / 6:14 PM / UPDATED AN HOUR AGO

U.S. launches national security probe into titanium sponge imports

David Shepardson
3 MIN READ

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Commerce Department on Monday launched a national security probe into titanium sponge imports, a key input in military aircraft and other equipment like space vehicles, satellites, naval vessels, missiles and munitions.

The probe under Section “232” follows an investigation by the Commerce Department in 2017 to review if titanium sponge imports from Japan and Kazakhstan were injuring U.S. producers and was prompted by a petition from U.S.-based Titanium Metals Corp, part of Berkshire Hathaway Inc’s Precision Castparts Corp.

In 2017, the U.S. International Trade Commission voted to end its probe into the imports, saying it found no harm.

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Boeing Co and Airbus SE are major users of titanium sponge.

Imports account for more than 60 percent of U.S. titanium sponge consumption. Only one facility in the United States currently has the capacity to process titanium ore into the sponge used in manufacturing, the department said, adding that it was difficult to stockpile the material because it degrades.

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