Skip to main content

Special Metals

MaterialsNew Hartford, New York, USA· One of 963 Materials companies tracked by AMPulse

World leader in invention, production and supply of high-nickel alloys for critical engineering applications including additive manufacturing

CEO / Founder
Joseph Snowden
Team Size
501-1000
Stage
Active
Total Funding
$425M
Latest Round
Acquired
Key Investors
Titanium Metals Corporation (1998 investment); Precision Castparts Corp (acquired 2006); Berkshire Hathaway (ultimate owner via Precision Castparts acquisition 2016)

Technology & Products

Key Products

Special Metals offers a portfolio of over 100 high-nickel and cobalt alloys, including Inconel, Incoloy, Monel, and Nimonic, used in critical engineering applications across aerospace, power generation, chemical processing, and oil & gas industries. They also provide welding consumables.

Technological Advantage

Proprietary alloy formulations protected by trade secrets and manufacturing know-how; world's leading developer of wrought nickel alloys and nickel welding consumables

Differentiation

Value Proposition

Provides mission-critical nickel and cobalt superalloys with superior heat resistance, corrosion resistance, and mechanical properties for the most demanding engineering applications

How They Differentiate

Focuses exclusively on high-nickel and cobalt superalloys rather than broader metals portfolio; invented majority of commercial nickel alloys; specialized in most demanding critical applications

Market & Competition

Target Customers

Aerospace, power generation, oil & gas, military, and industrial manufacturers requiring high-performance alloys

Industry Verticals

Aerospace; Defense; Power Generation; Oil & Gas; Industrial Manufacturing; Automotive; Medical

Competitors

Haynes International, ATI (Allegheny Technologies Incorporated), Carpenter Technology Corporation

Growth & Milestones

Growth Metrics

Revenue and growth metrics not publicly disclosed; operates as a subsidiary of Precision Castparts Corp. (PCC) with global operations across multiple countries

Major Milestones

1835: Henry Wiggin & Company founded; 1952: Predecessor company established; 1998: Special Metals Corporation formed via acquisition of Inco Alloys International; 2006: Acquired by Precision Castparts Corp; 2016: Became part of Berkshire Hathaway through PCC acquisition

Notable Customers

Special Metals serves demanding industries such as aerospace, power generation, chemical processing, marine, and oil and gas. Their alloys are used in aircraft engine components and other high-performance systems.

http://www.specialmetals.com

Why this company matters

Special Metals occupies a singular position in the materials world: it invented over 80% of the nickel alloys in commercial use today, including the Inconel, Incoloy, Monel, and Nimonic families. Founded in 1882 and now a subsidiary of Precision Castparts Corp (owned by Berkshire Hathaway), the company supplies mission-critical nickel and cobalt superalloys to industries where heat resistance, corrosion resistance, and mechanical strength are non-negotiable. For additive manufacturing, this means it is the primary source of the metal powders used in LPBF and DED processes for aircraft engine components, gas turbine parts, and downhole oil and gas tools.

The company's portfolio spans more than 100 alloy compositions, many protected by trade secrets and manufacturing know-how rather than patents alone. Its technological edge lies in proprietary formulations and decades of process expertise in wrought nickel alloys and nickel welding consumables. While competitors like Haynes International, ATI, and Carpenter Technology offer broader metals portfolios, Special Metals concentrates exclusively on high-nickel and cobalt superalloys, making it the go-to supplier for the most demanding critical applications in aerospace, defense, power generation, chemical processing, and marine environments.

Customers include aerospace primes and tier-1 suppliers who rely on alloys such as Inconel 718 and Inconel 625 for LPBF-printed turbine blades and structural brackets. The company also serves oil and gas operators needing corrosion-resistant alloys for downhole components, and power generation OEMs using DED to repair or produce gas turbine parts. As a subsidiary of Precision Castparts, Special Metals benefits from vertical integration into forged and cast components, though its revenue and growth metrics are not publicly disclosed.

The strategic moat is deep: a century of alloy development, a customer base that qualifies materials over multi-year cycles, and ownership by a parent with the patience to invest in long-cycle R&D. The open question is whether new entrants in metal powder production—particularly those offering lower-cost alternatives or recycled feedstocks—can erode Special Metals' pricing power in the AM segment, where material certification and traceability remain paramount.