Reading Alloys’ expansion in the area will create 55 new jobs at the 25 000 square-foot factory, adding to the 187 employed at their other plant in nearby Robesonia. The expansion will be backed by grants and loans generated under the state’s economic support schemes. The company specialises in producing master alloys, specialty alloys and high-purity metal and fine powders. It has a particular emphasis on titanium production using the hydride-dehydride process to make commercially pure titanium and the widely used titanium-aluminium-vanadium (Ti-6Al-4V) alloy. Colin McCracken, Reading Alloys’ development manager said: “This project will support the construction of a fine metal powder facility in line with our objective of becoming a premier producer of high-purity specialty powders.” Reading alloys is a wholly owned subsidiary of KB Alloys Inc, an international master alloys company with manufacturing capacity in the Eastern and Western United States and the United Kingdom.