Ulbrich Specialty Strip Mill Receives 2013 Best of Wallingford Award
Wallingford Award Program Honors the Achievement
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Ulbrich Specialty Strip Mill has been selected for the
2013 Best of Wallingford Award in the Milling Machinery category by the Wallingford Award
Program.
Each year, the Wallingford Award Program identifies companies that we believe have achieved
exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local
companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers
and our community. These exceptional companies help make the Wallingford area a great place to
live, work and play.
Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each
category. The 2013 Wallingford Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are
determined based on the information gathered both internally by the Wallingford Award Program
and data provided by third parties.
About Wallingford Award Program
The Wallingford Award Program is an annual awards program honoring the achievements and
accomplishments of local businesses throughout the Wallingford area. Recognition is given to
those companies that have shown the ability to use their best practices and implemented programs
to generate competitive advantages and long-term value.
The Wallingford Award Program was established to recognize the best of local businesses in our
community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups,
professional associations and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to
recognize the small business communityŐs contributions to the U.S. economy.
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ULBRICH STAINLESS STEELS APPOINTS NEW GENERAL MANAGER FOR ULBRINOX IN MEXICO
Frank Best, President of Distribution for Ulbrich Stainless Steel and Special Metals, Inc., announced today that
Cesar Medellin will join Ulbrinox, division located in Queretaro, Mexico, as
General Manager on Monday, November 12, 2012. In his new role, Cesar will be responsible for overseeing all activities related to Ulbrinox's commercial and manufacturing operations along with related support functions.
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Mr. Medellin comes to Ulbrinox with a strong general management background in the metals industry. He was most recently employed as a General Manager of Precision Strip de Mexico, in Monterrey, N.L. Mexico. At Precision Strip, Cesar was actively involved with the startup and operation of PrecisionŐs service center which was established in 2007. Previous to this, Cesar was employed by Arcelor Mittal Monterrey. While at Arcelor, he held the roles of Sales and Technical Services Manager and Operations Manager. Cesar also worked for a number of years as Plant Superintendent, with Acerex S.A. de C.V.
"We are excited about the extent of Cesar's well-rounded operations and sales experience in the metals industry. We are confident that his knowledge and experience within the Mexican Metal Industry will take Ulbrinox to new heights", concluded Frank Best.
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Ulbrich Featured in Stainless Steel World Americas September 2012 Issue
Steeped in Tradition, Soaring to New Heights - Meet Ulbrich Stainless
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Medical Device Manufacturing - Challenges and Supply Chain Solutions in Emerging Markets
According to the World Medical Markets Fact Book, 2010, the five-year medical device CAGR in mature markets; is estimated to be 7.5% vs. an emerging markets CAGR of 15%. There are several challenges to entry into these markets. International medical device manufacturers need to develop a strategic plan that includes partnerships and collaboration within the supply chain in order to overcome these barriers. Companies like Ulbrich provide solutions to alleviate some of these concerns.
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Ulbrich Stainless Steels and Special Metals, Inc., Relocates Corporate Headquarters
January 20, 2012, North Haven, Connecticut: Ulbrich Stainless Steels and Special Metals, Inc., a leading manufacturer of strip, foil and wire products, announced today the relocation of its corporate headquarters to 153 Washington Avenue, North Haven, Connecticut. The new and more modern facility maintains their corporate presence in North Haven, while offering improved building amenities as well as larger conference and meeting spaces.
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"We are thrilled about the move to this new bright and spacious Corporate Headquarters after the severe damage our former building
sustained in Hurricane Irene", commented Chris Ulbrich, C.O.O. "We've moved to an energy efficient, modern facility, which offers our employees, vendors, and clients, an improved
working environment. We chose to make important updates to the heating and lighting systems as part of our continued effort to lower our carbon footprint. Although it's been a
tremendous investment of time and resources, we feel this move is important for the continued growth and success of our business."
Ulbrich, established in 1924, is a leading manufacturer of stainless steel and special metals in light gauge strip, foil and wire products. The highly engineered materials are
produced primarily for the aerospace, solar, automotive, medical and petrochemical markets. This location isCorporate Headquarters to over 600 employees located in 13 facilities
in North America, Asia, Europe and Mexico. Ulbrich is a fourth generation, family owned business.
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Ulbrich Launches New Website - UlbrichShapedWire.com
New Shaped Wire Website Focuses on Shaped and Profile Wire Products
November 9, 2011, North Haven, Connecticut: UlbrichShapedWire.com was
launched today to promote rolled shaped wire products in stainless steels and special metal alloys. The new site features rolled shaped, flat, square and round wire products engineered and produced
to exacting dimensions in a selection of over 170 different alloys. Ulbrich's rolled wire products are provided in net or near net sizes suitable for stamping, coining, forming or machining applications.
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The new website includes in-depth shaped and profile wire product information, as well as, quality certification downloads, simplified
contact forms, materials information, packaging options and dimensional capabilities for easy client reference.
"This website was designed to give our prospective and current customers a portal to Ulbrich Shaped Wire's products and services. Our main objective for this new site is to make our skilled
staff of engineers and tooling specialists more accessible to our clients. We want to let them know that we can assist in the design and development of their most challenging products,"
commented Mike Alstrits, General Sales Manager at Ulbrich Shaped Wire, Inc.
About Ulbrich Shaped Wire, Inc.
Ulbrich Shaped Wire, Inc., located in North Haven, CT, is a division of Ulbrich Stainless Steels and Special Metals, Inc. Ulbrich Shaped Wire is a leading manufacturer of highly
engineered shaped and rolled profile wire in stainless steel and special metals with over 40 years of experience producing thousands of unique shapes and sizes.
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Ulbrich Sees Promise in Solar Energy
Westminster, SC - August 22, 2001: After a stint of record-breaking heat, few have good things to say about the season's sun, but employees at Ulbrich are putting sunny days to work.
This summer, a roof-mounted solar array was installed at Ulbrich's Westminster, SC location to help power the facility. Designed to harness the sun's power as well as demonstrate Ulbrich
products, the array consists of 40 modules made by an Ulbrich customer and is a pioneering step by the company in support of the clean energy movement.
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After years of discussing the installation of a photovoltaic or solar power, Ulbrich leadership decided that the project was most appropriate for
the company's original and largest photovoltaic (PV) ribbon producing facility in Westminster, SC. The sustainability of solar energy along with the rising cost of electricity means that solar power
is getting increasingly close to grid parity, the point at which solar energy costs are equal to or less than traditional energy sources. This fact, coupled with growing concern over pollution from
other energy sources has made clean renewable energy an increasingly attractive option. In fact, PV production is the world's fastest growing energy technology, increasing by an average of 48 percent
each year since 2002.
Throughout this rapid development, Ulbrich has grown along with the industry, and, in 1999, the company began selling its PV products internationally. The copper ribbon they produce can now be found
in the very array that will soon power the Westminster facility. Steve Watts, Engineering Manager at UPFW, helped plan the project and hopes that the installation will serve as a working exhibition
of Ulbrich's products. However, this demonstration is not just good business, it is good citizenship.
While many may be skeptical of so-called "green living" due to its fad-like contagion, the environmental benefits of clean energy are undeniable. A reduction of greenhouse gases, decreased reliance
on foreign energy sources, and economic development in the industry locally are all cited effects of clean energy by the U.S. EPA. According to Ed Treglia, Vice President of Specialty Wire, "We want
to do our part to demonstrate the movement to clean, renewable energies to our employees and to the local community here in South Carolina." To further demonstrate Ulbrich's dedication to the
environment, the company has several other programs designed to reduce energy consumption including the installation of energy efficient lighting, institution of a "zero-landfill" policy to promote
recycling, and support for employees who choose energy efficient vehicles. These actions in conjunction with the new roof-mounted solar array are designed to promote Ulbrich's goal of community
responsibility.
The array is scheduled to be functional by the beginning of October. Derryl Bates, maintenance supervisor, worked with a local installer on the layout and installation of the panels. He approximates
that the modules will provide 10KW of electrical power through an inverter. This is an energy savings that could pay for installation costs in as little as 5 years. As more people are introduced to
the benefits of solar energy, the industry will continue advance, and, while many view a forecast full of sun as the continuation of a sweltering summer, Ulbrich sees it as a sign of the bright
future ahead.
Ulbrich Precision Flat Wire is a family-owned multinational company in Westminster, SC. Though they serve a diverse set of markets, they have supplied photovoltaic (PV) ribbon for energy generation
since 1992. Currently, they are the leader in this rapidly growing industry of photovoltaic with more than 4,000 gigawatts of capacity.
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Ulbrich Opens Malaysian Precision Coil Center for Stainless Steel and Special Metals Strip
Penang, Malaysia, June 29, 2011: Ulbrich Asia Metals Malaysia Sdn Bhn, announces the opening of a new Precision Coil Center specializing in light gauge stainless steel
and special metals strip. This new precision strip facility, strategically located in Penang, will be providing rolled metals from .0254mm - .76 mm (.001" - .030")and
supplying a width range of 2.28mm - 300mm (.090" - 12.0"). The High Precision Coil Center has the ability to produce pancake and flange coil packages, as well as oscillated
spools, in a variety of sizes.
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The new location will offer over 170 types of Stainless Steels and Special Metals strips, many not readily available in Asia.
The alloys will range from Austenitic, Ferritic, Martensitic to Precipitation Hardening Grade Stainless Steels. Through Ulbrich Stainless Steels and Special Metals Inc., a vast
inventory of precision rolled Nickel and Nickel alloys, Inconel, Hastelloy, and Haynes 214, 242, 188, 25 (L605), as well as Titanium and Titanium Alloys, will be available for
Malaysian and Asian manufacturers.
Ulbrich Asia Metals Malaysia will service a diverse range of industries including the following: medical, aerospace, automotive, electronics, petrochemical, power generation,
energy, deep draw components and a variety of precision metal stamping products as well as springs.
Besides the equipment capabilities, the strategic location of the new facility in Malaysia will provide our Clients with readily available materials reducing overall supply chain
costs. "Our goal is to support growth in the region by providing supply chain management with shortened lead times enhancing our clients' inventory turns." commented Keith Sullivan,
General Manager, Ulbrich Asia Metals Sdn Bhn, Malaysia.
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Nitinol Article - Treasure Trove
Nitinol, an alloy of nickel and titanium with approximately fifty per cent nickel is a relatively recently formulated metal that takes its name both
from its composition and the place where it was produced (Nickel Titanium - Naval Ordnance Laboratory).
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Diversified Ulbrich of Canada Announces Expansion Plans
As part of their expansion plans, Diversified Ulbrich of Canada in Montreal will be relocating to a new 65,000 square foot facility in January of 2011.
Frank Best, Group President of Ulbrich Steel's Distribution Division, stated that "the expansion is in part related to Diversified Ulbrich's decision to add aluminum sheet
to its host of customer offerings." Diversified Ulbrich of Canada has operations in Montreal and Toronto.
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On November 1, 2010, Jim Dodge, General Manager of Diversified Ulbrich of Canada, retired after six years of distinguished
service with Ulbrich. Mr. Dodge, who was with Atlas Stainless Steels for over 25 years, joined Ulbrich as General Manager in October 2004, and is based in Diversified Ulbrich
of Canada's Toronto operations. Concurrently, Ulbrich is pleased to announce that Etienne Chouinard, current Branch Manager of the Montreal office, has been appointed to
replace Mr. Dodge as the new General Manager of Diversified Ulbrich. Mr. Chouinard will be relocating from Montreal to Toronto to assume his new position. Diversified plans
to appoint a new Branch Manager for the Montreal facility in the first quarter. Mr. Dodge will stay on in a limited capacity during the first quarter of 2011 to ensure a
smooth transition of responsibility.
Mr. Chouinard has been with Diversified Ulbrich of Canada serving as Branch Manager of Montreal since January 2008. Prior to coming to Ulbrich, his career included extensive
sales experience with Xstrata Zinc of Canada where he was a Sales Representative for both Canada and the Northeastern United States.
Diversified Ulbrich of Canada is a processor and distributor of stainless steel to the Eastern Canadian marketplace.
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Titanium - What Melts in Your Mouth But Not in Your Hand? - from Stainless Steel World
What melts in your mouth but not in your hand? That's right - titanium dioxide, one of the
myriad forms of titanium used in modern business and industrial applications. .... Or were
you going to say M&Ms™, the American candy that made the "melt in your mouth but not
your hand" question famous in its ad campaigns? Well, you're still right. Because titanium in
the form of titanium dioxide is an ingredient in the food coloring that is used to paint the
little M on the individual candies.
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Niobium - A Treasure Trove - from Stainless Steel World
Niobium is named for Niobe, daughter of Tantalus, a Greek god.
It has been confused with tantalum, named for Tantalus, and it
also is called columbium due to confusion over its properties
when it was originally discovered. Like its namesake, who was a
controversial figure in ancient mythology, niobium has had its
share of controversy too, virtually from its discovery until the mid-
20th century.
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ULBRINOX introduces its new website - www.ulbrinox.com.mx
Queretaro, Mexico: Ulbrich is pleased to announce that Ulbrinox, metal service center located in central Mexico, has developed a new website in Spanish in order to address specific needs from the Mexican and Latin American markets.
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The new website features a full description of the materials Ulbrinox commonly carries in stock: stainless steel, copper and copper alloys,
silicon steel and aluminum. These metals can be supplied in coil, strip, sheet, blank, precision, flat, round and shaped wire. It also provides a detailed list of their slitting, edge conditioning
and packaging capabilities.
Users will find additional tools like technical data sheets, useful conversion tables and electronic contact forms. The website can also be accessed in English and was created based
on specific requests from customers and other potential users.
Please visit
www.ulbrinox.com.mx for more information.
Click Here to read the Spanish version of this press release.
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Remaining Manufacturers Harken To Route 5's Golden Era
In the early years after World War II, manufacturer George Giering Sr. marveled at the demand in the U.S. and abroad for the treated metal products churned out by his father's business.
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Click here to view article featured on HartfordBusiness.com.
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Ulbrich Steel - an Unsung Hero
Producing wrap wire for most of the indstry's guitar and violin strings, Ulbrich's metal working expertise is a key component of stellar tone.
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Click here to view article featured in
Music Trades - July 2010 issue.
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Gold plated tungsten wire for medical applications
Ulbrich is pleased to announce a continued effort to help medical device manufacturers drive down material cost by focusing on gold
plated tungsten wire as a lower cost alternative to platinum and platinum alloy materials. "In this economy, any opportunity to reduce
costs while keeping the same if not better quality is a priority", said Ted Davis, Product Manager for Plated Products.
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With costing multiples less than platinum and its alloys, gold plated tungsten solders easily,
has a tensile strength of 400 KSI and is available in various plating thicknesses for applications ranging from improved cosmetic appearance to
improved radiopacity for small diameter applications.
Ulbrich plates all its materials in house. "Because we plate in house, we have sources to assist in developing your process", said Davis.
Please go to
www.ulbrich.com for more information. Send an email to
medical@ulbrich.com
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Ulbrich Opens Precision Flat Wire Facility In Hong Kong
Ulbrich Opens Ulbrich Precision Metals Asia Photovoltaic FactoryUlbrich Stainless Steels & Special Metals, Inc. is pleased to
announce the opening of Ulbrich Precision Metals Asia in Hong Kong. This manufacturing facility provides solarcell tabbing and string interconnect
for the solar industry.
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It becomes the fifth photovoltaic manufacturing facility of Ulbrich and it is set up to produce
over 500MW of materials. It becomes part of the Ulbrich Specialty Wire Group. The other photovoltaic production divisions are in South Carolina
and Pennsylvania USA, Ireland and Austria. Our strip and foils division in CT produces ultralite foil for thin film solar modules.
The combined divisions yield more than 3,000MW capacity and the Hong Kong facility is set up to better service our customers throughout Asia.
This is the second Hong Kong facility that Ulbrich has opened with the first supplying stainless steels and special metals in strip, foil, flat,
fine and shaped wire products.
For more information about these and other capabilities within the Ulbrich family of companies please go to:
www.ulbrich.com send e-mails to
information@ulbrich.com or
pvribbon@ulbrich.com or call 203-239-4481.
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Ulbrich Increases Its Rolling Dimensions
Ulbrich Stainless Steels & Special Metals, Inc. is pleased to announce its increased capabilities at the strip mill. Ulbrich now has the ability to roll stainless steels and special metals starting at .0005, .0127mm up to .0015, .0382mm.
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Ulbrich increased its space at our Wallingford, CT location for our ultralite foil production.
The new investments include rolling, tension annealing, slitting and packaging that is all designed to give our customers a precision engineered products.
"This is going to increase our market share in an ever evolving micro manufacturing arena," said Don Hennon, Director of Marketing and Strategic Sales at Ulbrich.
Please go to
www.ulbrich.com for more information and download our ultralite literature. Our phone is 203-239-4481 and email
ultralite@ulbrich.com
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Dick Ulbrich, Chairman and CEO, passed away on September 25th, 2008.
Fred Ulbrich Jr., previously Chairman Emeritus, has reassumed the role of Chairman with Chris Ulbrich Vice Chairman and COO.
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Ulbrich, as a company, is dedicated to lifelong learning and customer service. On September 25, 2008, our company experienced an intensification
of this understanding. We salute the accomplishments and mourn the loss of Richard (Dick) John Ulbrich, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer,
who died on that day, after a brave battle with bladder cancer. We are clear, however, about the knowledge he shared with us as our leader and as
a revered mentor through all the years of his life. We carry on, with more pride than ever, the essence of his work.
Dick's brother, Fred Ulbrich, Jr. steps in as Chairman and Fred's son (Dick's nephew), steps in as Vice Chair while retaining his role as Chief
Operating Officer. With continued Ulbrich family leadership, including Dick's daughter, Mary Ulbrich Merlini, Vice President Corporate Communication
and Education, all 808 employees of Ulbrich are part of a company that grew from basic, but certain, principles that are integrated throughout our
company worldwide. While serving as Chairman and CEO, Dick spent deliberate time carefully mentoring the Ulbrich family, the executives, managers,
and many individual contributors. Our machine operators speak with particular warmth for the time he spent appreciating their work and relating to
their efforts to finesse our manufacturing expertise.
Dick was a graduate of Georgetown University and entered the family business to join his father and brothers in the expansion of the business.
While his brother, Fred, focused on sales and customer service, Dick turned his engineering mind and keen eye to the efficient operation of all
equipment and proceeded to create and lead our technical abilities in precision work. Throughout the years, Dick was as comfortable examining the
capabilities of a machine as he was ensuring that our technology could wrap around the world, serving customers globally.
In recent weeks, hundreds of people have come forward to describe how Dick spent time with them, usually one on one, to share his knowledge or inspire
an idea. In his gentle, unassuming way, Dick had every confidence that the wisdom within Ulbrich is within each Ulbrich employee, who we thoughtfully
recruit, carefully train, and encourage to fulfill their professional best. He was very special to us for his encyclopedic knowledge, wisdom, gentle
manner, insightful mentoring, and generous spirit. Dick's death is a great loss. To carry on his work is our deepest pride.
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Ulbrich Opens Precision Flat Wire Facility in Austria
Ulbrich Stainless Steels and Special Metals, Inc. is pleased to announce the formation of Ulbrich of Austria, Gmbh. The new venture will be
part of the Ulbrich Specialty Wire Group, which will now consist of five production facilities in three countries. The Specialty Wire Group
has extensive capabilities including shaping, drawing, rolling and plating custom engineered rod and wire based products in a wide range of
specialty metals and alloys.
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Ulbrich of Austria is located near Vienna and will focus on producing and selling solarcell tabbing and string interconnect ribbon for the
photovoltaic industry. The initial capacity of the new operation will be 500 MW of ribbon per year. Ulbrich also produces
PV ribbon in its Ireland facility as well as two facilities in the USA. Ulbrich's total ribbon making capacity
will exceed 2,600 MW in 2008.
The Austria location will be fully automated and is ideally situated near the large PV module producers in Central Europe as well as the
developing producers in Eastern Europe. Our current and future customers will benefit from the latest PV Ribbon manufacturing technologies
available. This addition continues to expand Ulbrich's capabilities and capacities as the world leader for Photovoltaic Ribbon.
For more information about these and other capabilities within the Ulbrich family of companies go to:
www.ulbrich.com send e-mails to
information@ulbrich.com or
pvribbon@ulbrich.com or call 203-239-4481
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Ulbrich Stainless Steels and Special Metals, Inc.
opens Trading Company/Service Center in Hong Kong
North Haven, CT, May 7, 2007: Ulbrich Stainless Steels & Special Metals, Inc. an international supplier of precision rolled foil and strip,
flat and shaped wire products opened a Trading Company/service center in Hong Kong on 03-09-07.
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Ulbrich Asia Metals Limited, a Hong Kong company located in Kwai Chung, is Ulbrich's second Asian facility, having a Shanghai Representative
Office for 3 years. Ulbrich Asia Metals in Hong Kong significantly enhances Ulbrich's ability to supply titanium, nickel, and cobalt alloys as
well as stainless steels to its Asian customer base. The 1000 square meter facility stocks and supplies a full array of alloys, has finishing
capabilities and room for expansion.
"It is another step that continues our international focus and builds on our already strong presence in the Asian marketplace", said Chris Ulbrich,
President and COO of Ulbrich.
Ulbrich Stainless Steels and Special Metals, Inc. family owned since 1924 has five production facilities, four in the United States, one in Ireland
and seven service centers, two in Canada, three in the United States, and one each in Mexico and Hong Kong. Ulbrich's engineered materials with
extremely precise tolerances and difficult to achieve properties support critical niche applications in aerospace, medical device, nuclear, power
generation, automotive, electronics, chemical and petro-chem industries. For further information, contact Michael Tam, Operations Manager, Ulbrich
Asia Metals, +852.3580.1468.
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Ulbrich acquires Delta Precision Alloys: 
Ulbrich Stainless Steels & Special Metals, Inc. is pleased to announce the acquisition of Delta Precision Alloys of Montgomeryville, PA. Delta Ulbrich Precision
Metals will become part of the Ulbrich Specialty Wire Group.
Click here for full articleThe Specialty Wire Group consists of Ulbrich Shaped
Wire and Ulbrich Precision Flat Wire located in the
U.S.A. as well as Ulbrich Precision Metals located in Ireland. The Wire Group specializes in shaping, drawing, rolling and plating custom engineered wire based
products in a wide range of specialty metals and alloys.
This acquisition will bring expanded capabilities and shared technologies that make Ulbrich a World Leader in the industry. Medical, Power Generation, High
Technology, Oil and Gas, Aerospace and Automotive are only a portion of the many markets that use Ulbrich's highly engineered specialty wire products.
Some of the new and enhanced capabilities include:
- Electroplating (Silver, Gold, Nickel, etc)
- Ultra fine wire drawing (round & flat)
- Additional offerings in pure metals and alloys (Tungsten, Molybdenum, Titanium, Tantalum, etc)
Combining Ulbrich's extensive global reach and resources with the new capabilities of Delta will result in benefits to pre-acquisition customers of both companies.
It will also allow Ulbrich to expand into new applications and markets, delivering high precision products backed by technology and the outstanding support that our
customers have learned to expect from Ulbrich.
For more information about these and other products within the Ulbrich family of companies go to: www.ulbrich.com send e-mails to
information@ulbrich.com or call 203-239-4481
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Ulbrich Addition Carries High
Hopes
By George Moore
Record-Journal staff
Chris Angileri / Record-Journal
Fred Ulbrich Jr., chairman emeritus of Ulbrich Stainless Steels, speaks Thursday at the groundbreaking ceremony for a 12,000-square-foot addition to the company's
plant, at the corner of Dudley Avenue and Carlton Street.
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WALLINGFORD - An addition to the Ulbrich Stainless Steels plant on Dudley Avenue will be small, but what goes on inside will propel the company into new
high-tech markets, Ulbrich officials said at a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday.
The 12,000-square-foot addition, under construction at the plant on the corner of Dudley Avenue and Carlton Street, will be used for the development of super-thin
metals. The metals produced in the addition - some of which will be one fourth the width of a human hair - will be used in medical supplies, power generation
equipment and aircraft.
"We are focusing on 13 markets worldwide for this light material," said Chris Ulbrich, the chief operating officer. "This will be the most up-to-date facility in the
world to produce this type of material."
Breaking into these markets will not be cheap. The company will spend between $4 million and 5$ million on construction and equipment for the addition, and will
increase its workforce of 150 by about 5 percent over the next two years. The expansion received the praise of Gov. M. Jodi Rell and Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr.
"In my book, manufacturing and steel are basics to any sound economy," Dickinson said, "and the word that I'm going to express in the town of Wallingford today is
pride, pride in Ulbrich Steel and what you stand for."
The addition may only be a first phase of a much larger project around Dudley Avenue. Dickinson and town councilors have had talks with the company about its interest
in buying portions of Carlton and Nichols streets for a larger expansion. Before making an offer on the street sections, however, the company is negotiating to buy a
neighboring property that would enable expansion, Ulbrich said.
Rell, who is up for election this November, attended the groundbreaking to talk about the state's involvement and interest in encouraging such expansion projects.
"You represent the best of our economy, truly the heart of our economy. We've been doing our part too and that's because we've been listening," she said.
Rell didn't mention specific state programs that helped promote the addition, but mentioned a number of programs designed to promote high-tech manufacturing, such as
the Connecticut State Technology Extension Program or CONNSTEP, and state funding to promote aerospace investment.
Rell of late has been criticized of running a "rose garden" campaign and using such events to bolster her name at the polls. Rell said she was there because "this is
exactly what we've been focusing on in Connecticut for the last two and a half years."
"If it plays into the campaign, the only thing it would say is. we're succeeding and I think that's obviously good news for everyone," she said.
Ulbrich's father, Fred Ulbrich Jr., spoke about the origins of the metal company, which also has a plant in North Haven. The Wallingford site, he said, was once the
location of his father's scrap yard. The family home was also on the parcel, before he knocked it down with the consent of his father to make way for an addition, he
said. The company was established in 1924.
He noted that the company early in its history made forks and spoons, but has evolved to take advantage of the new markets.
"The reason we're here today," he said, "is because over the years we've been able to change with the market.
gmoore@record-journal.com (203) 317-2275
Copyright 2006 The Record-Journal Publishing Co. 10/27/2006
Reprinted with permission
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