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Refocused Thresher Industries
Working With Customer on Developing Proprietary Metal Matrix Composite
Metalcaster Thresher Industries, Hanford, Calif.,
recently announced it has signed a mutual nondisclo- sure agreement with a first-tier automotive supplier to develop its proprietary metal matrix composite (MMC) Thermalite. Thresher and the Detroit-based company plan to co-develop the material for use in Thresher’s manu- facturing and distribution operations. According to a press release issued by the metalcaster, Thresher has been working to refocus and restructure itself on supplying higher margin MMCs. “In the past, Thresher has operated as an alumi-
num [metalcasting facility] supplying conventional cast products and some metal matrix composites that are typically low-margin products,” said Tom Flessner, the company’s president and chief ex- ecutive officer. “Our rebranding and restructuring positions us as a composite aluminum company.” Thresher announced the new focus—on high-
margin, niche products produced in high volumes by other companies using its materials and paying Thresher a licensing fee—about a week before sign- ing the agreement with the new supplier The company indicated it expects Flessner to meet
with the automotive company, the name of which was not disclosed, during the second week of April to pursue the material’s development further. “The next steps involve supplying data they re-
quire for each application and discussions with their metallurgist and ours to find a correct hybrid MMC that will match their requirements,” Flessner said. According to the Thresher press release, the
Detroit-based company has indicated a willing- ness to examine emerging technologies 10 years out. The undisclosed company reports more than $3 billion in revenue and 30,000 full-time employees and is involved in the agriculture and aerospace industries, as well as automotive. Thresher casts parts and offers engineer-
ing support, designing and prototype devel- opment to a variety of industries, including agriculture, aerospace, defense, transportation and automotive. “We believe we can generate significant revenues
coupled with even higher profit margins for our company, while creating significant competitive ad- vantages for our customers,” Flessner said. “This plan puts us on track to increase shareholder value in 2011 and beyond.”
METAL May/June 2011 For Design engineers & Purchasers 13
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