Local metals should be used for military

About 100 engineers and military experts attended the second annual Strategic Materials Conference in Cleveland to focus attention on the lack of U.S.-made materials used for fighter jets and military tanks.

Titanium armored plates, for example, are purchased from China and used in U.S. military tank production.

When the first conference was held last year, attendees focused on titanium. That put the RTI Metals Inc., Niles plant in the spotlight.

This year's attendees discussed beryllium and other rare metals too. But whether talking about titanium, beryllium, or some other rare metal, two common themes arose: they play a large part in national security and the Northeast Ohio economy.

The scientific, military and business leaders who attended the conference collectively cited national security as a reason to find ways to use more U.S.-produced rare metals. Many rare metals are produced in Northeast Ohio creating the added local incentive.

Conference attendees pointed out that much of their business is for commercial uses such as passenger planes. Those industries are suffering because of the recession, which means the Northeast Ohio factories that produce the materials also are suffering.

Leaders from the manufacturing companies used the conference to try to bolster military orders. Their points, hopefully, are heard by the Northeast Ohio Congressional delegation whose members should pitch, at the federal level, the argument for domestic rare metals for military uses.