TTT Group launches HIP business unit in Basque Country with Hiperbaric system

Spanish heat treatment specialist TTT Group is establishing TTT HIP, a new business unit for hot isostatic pressing in the Basque Country, with operations slated to begin in 2027. The unit will deploy a Hiperbaric HIP 107 system capable of 2,000 bar and temperatures up to 1,400°C (optionally 2,000°C), representing the largest investment in the company's 65-year history. The system includes integrated rapid cooling to combine heat treatment and densification in a single cycle, reducing energy costs and cycle times.

HIP directly addresses a persistent bottleneck in metal LPBF: internal micro-porosity that limits fatigue life in safety-critical parts. By closing these pores and enabling diffusion bonding of internal channels, HIP brings LPBF components closer to near-net-shape production for demanding applications like nickel superalloy turbine blades, copper-alloy rocket injectors, and medical implants. The move signals that post-processing infrastructure is becoming a deliberate investment priority rather than an afterthought, though the unit's commercial impact depends on production ramp in 2027 and the Basque region's ability to attract European aerospace and energy customers.