For Immediate Release
Contact:
Erin Peacock, Peacock PR
(949) 939-1872, peacockpr@cox.net
Forging Ahead, Shaping the Future
Aluminum Precision Products Celebrates 50 Years as a Defining Force in
the Worldwide Forging Industry
From One Plant with 10 Employees to 21 Facilities with 1,000 Employees, APP Produces
Forgings for World’s Largest Manufacturers
SANTA ANA, Calif. (June 10, 2015) — In the 1960s, as mankind made its first steps on the moon, the aerospace industry was on a trajectory — soaring to become one of the largest and most defining manufacturing industries in the world. In 1965, Aluminum Precision Products, Inc. (APP), based in Santa Ana, Calif., was charting its own course to become one of the world’s leading and most innovative forging companies, introducing a revolutionary precision forging process for applications in aerospace. Now 50 years later, APP produces an array of forgings found on the Mars Rover, the Space Shuttle and the new Boeing 787 to high-performance forged wheels on Ferraris and Lamborghinis.
In half a century, APP has become a world-class, vertically integrated manufacturer of forged, machined, finished and assembled components, producing closed die and open die aluminum forgings and closed die titanium forgings for the world’s largest manufacturers in the aerospace, automotive, recreation, industrial and medical markets.
With its roots in an 8,000 square foot plant with 10 employees, today APP has 21 facilities on both coasts with more than 700,000 square feet of production area, and a skilled team of nearly 1,000 employees. APP’s customers around the world include every major aircraft and aerospace manufacturer, leading automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEM), motorsports teams, after-market companies, and top manufacturers in the recreation, firearms, industrial, medical and outdoor sports markets.
“Our tremendous success during the past 50 years would not have been possible without the excellent performance, proven skill and enduring dedication and loyalty of our employees,” said Greg Keeler, president and chief executive officer, Aluminum Precision Products, Inc. “Since day one, Aluminum Precision Products has been on the path of
continuous improvement and that, coupled with constant innovation, has created a company that we are not only proud of, but one that is respected worldwide by the world’s largest manufacturers. As we look toward the next 50 years, Aluminum Precision Products is poised to maintain and grow this legacy of excellence.”
APP’s Path to Forging the Future
APP’s 50-year road map of growth and success started in the early 1960s when its founder, Philip S. Keeler, developed a groundbreaking method of forging called “precision forging.” According to the Forging Industry Association (FIA.org), forging is the manufacturing process where metal is pressed, pounded or squeezed under great pressure by mechanical or hydraulic press into high-strength parts known as forgings. A set of dies are used to create the desired shape, form or finish to the parts.
Keeler developed the precision forging process to eliminate the need for costly machine operations to meet all dimensional requirements, while producing accurately shaped, precision forged parts to a tolerance of +/- 0.015 inches that still retained the necessary strength, reliability and weight that was required by the emergent aerospace industry. The new process relied on innovative tool and die designs, and controlled amounts of pressure, heat and lubricants applied to aluminum and later titanium. During the next five decades, APP has registered many process and mechanical patents that has allowed it to remain an innovative leader in the industry.
As APP continued to grow, including its foray into titanium forgings, the company acquired several competitors and complementary businesses to accommodate the needs of its expanding customer base across diverse industries. APP’s customers in the aerospace market grew to include Boeing, Airbus, Embraer, Lockheed Martin, Honeywell, Learjet, Bombardier, Gulfstream, Cessna, Northrup Grumman, Sikorsky, and Bell Helicopter, among several others.
In the automotive market, APP’s high-performance, forged wheels, engine blocks, pistons, and suspension components are now produced for such legendary brands as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Audi, Alfa Romeo, Aston-Martin, Porsche, Pagani, McLaren, AMG, Koenigsegg, Brembo SPA, Ducati, and several automotive aftermarket clients.
During the past 50 years, APP’s key operating assets have also expanded, allowing for optimal vertical integration. This equipment now includes 69 hydraulic and mechanical forging presses ranging from 300 to 8,000 tons with the capability to produce closed die aluminum forgings from 1 square inch to more than 650 square inches plan view area (PVA), titanium forgings from 1 to 250 square inches PVA, and open die forgings up to 6,000 pounds.
APP’s capabilities now extend from initial design to final assembly, including an engineering and tooling department operating on advanced simulation and computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) platforms, and a full complement of forge die manufacturing equipment to design, fabricate, service and repair all of its dies.
Since its founding, APP has always been the industry’s benchmark for quality and today is accredited to Nadcap standards for Heat Treatment, Fluorescent Penetrant and Ultrasonic Inspection. The company, which is AS-9100 Accredited and QS-9000 Accredited at its Oxnard facility, is approved by every major airframe prime contractor in the world, including more than 500 subtiers suppliers.
Ongoing research and development continues to forge a path to the future, as APP develops new technologies and processes for applications in industries as diverse as wind, solar, marine and high technology. APP remains focused on identifying new markets and plans to expand its presence in the Asia Pacific region among other international markets.
“The future for Aluminum Precision Products continues to be bright,” said Keeler. “With a strong team in place across all of our divisions and departments, we are in a solid position to leverage increased production in aerospace, automotive and other commercial industries we serve.”
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