Three US nuclear and defence customers place Zircaloy-4 orders worth US$114,000
Metal Powder Works (ASX: MPW) has expanded its zirconium powder business, receiving firm purchase orders for Zircaloy-4 (Zr-4) powder from three new Zr-4 customers. Each is a leading US nuclear or defence organisation.
The three customers are:
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the US Department of Energy’s largest science and energy laboratory
- US Army Research Laboratory (ARL), the US Army’s foundational research laboratory
- A US defence industry company, which has not been named for confidentiality reasons
Total Zr-4 orders come to US$114,000 (approx. A$162,000), with delivery expected in the first quarter of calendar 2027. The orders extend MPW’s zirconium customer base into US Government nuclear and defence research.
John Barnes, Managing Director
“Together with the Army Research Laboratory and a defence industry customer, these orders show MPW building a position in strategic nuclear and defence materials that we expect to grow as we scale capacity.”
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Order breakdown and why the ORNL order stands out
Order values at a glance
The ORNL order is the largest single component. The ARL and defence industry company orders are reported as a combined figure, and all orders are on standard commercial terms.
| Customer | Order value (US$) | Approx. A$ | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ORNL | US$60,000 | A$85,000 | Considered material by the Company |
| ARL and US defence industry company (combined) | US$54,000 | A$77,000 | Combined total for the two orders |
| Total Zr-4 orders | US$114,000 | A$162,000 | Delivery expected in the first quarter of calendar 2027 |
Why ORNL matters
The Company considers the ORNL order material because of ORNL’s strategic significance as a customer. ORNL is the US Department of Energy’s largest science and energy laboratory and a leading centre for the development and qualification of nuclear materials.
Supplying Zr-4 powder to ORNL for evaluation is an important step in positioning MPW within the US nuclear materials supply chain. Mr Barnes pointed to the laboratory’s track record:
John Barnes, Managing Director
“…it was ORNL that put the first 3D-printed components into an operating US reactor. MPW has been developing zirconium alloy powders with the nuclear industry for several years, and these orders put our material in the hands of the laboratory leading that work…”
The orders are for evaluation and qualification purposes, and there is no certainty that they will lead to further orders.
Zirconium alloys, nuclear fuel cladding and MPW’s DirectPowder™ process
What is Zircaloy-4?
Zr-4 is a zirconium alloy widely used in the nuclear industry for fuel cladding and reactor components. Zirconium powders are also used in defence applications.
The Company describes zirconium alloys as strategic materials for nuclear energy and defence. Qualification by national laboratories matters because, as Mr Barnes put it, that is “where new materials earn their place in the nuclear supply chain.”
The DirectPowder™ advantage
Mr Barnes said next-generation reactors and advanced manufacturing need zirconium alloy powders with tightly controlled chemistry, made in the US. He said MPW’s DirectPowder™ process delivers this, “with powder yields above 95%.”
DirectPowder™ is a patented, non-thermal process that converts premium bar stock into powder. The Company’s profile describes it as “the first true innovation in powder manufacturing in over 50 years.” Supporting facts from MPW’s company description:
- Manufacturing base in Pittsburgh, USA
- 25+ powders in production, including CP-Ti and Zircaloy
- Named Material Company of the Year at the 2024 3D Printing Industry Awards
Repeat customers and what happens next
All three customers have previously purchased other powders from MPW, and these are their first orders for Zr-4. The Company said repeat orders from these organisations, now across a new alloy system, reflect growing confidence in MPW’s DirectPowder™ materials.
MPW has previously supplied Zr-4 powder to other customers, and has been developing zirconium alloy powders with the nuclear industry for several years.
The one upcoming event stated in the announcement:
- Delivery of all three Zr-4 orders (ORNL, ARL and the US defence industry company) is expected in the first quarter of calendar 2027, with MPW as the supplier.
Mr Barnes said the orders show MPW building a position in strategic nuclear and defence materials that the Company expects to grow as it scales capacity.
Scale matters for the commercial picture, and the company’s first multi-year contract, a two-year copper supply deal starting in January 2027, shows how larger production orders sit alongside these small evaluation purchases.
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