6K Additive has broken ground on its 45-acre global headquarters and manufacturing campus expansion.
The expansion project, which is being enabled by a $23.4 million Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III grant and the successful completion of the company’s Initial Public Offering (IPO) on the Australian Securities Exchange (which raised A$48 million or US$31.4 million), commenced on March 30th.
That DPA Title III grant is set to cover 50% of the expansion costs, with 6K Additive 'fully capitalised' to complete the renovation, while also acquiring the equipment and hiring more than 17 skilled engineers and technical operators.
6K has also said that 37 construction jobs have been created to support the local economic base. The project involves the construction of four new buildings, including an alloy warehouse, a dedicated melt building for ingot production, and a pre- and post-processing production facility. Initial production at the expanded Burgettstown site is expected by the end of 2026, with 6K also set to build a dedicated refractory facility in 2027.
Per 6K, the expansion represents a strategic milestone and a 'transformative leap' as it seeks to increase its production capacity fivefold, from 200 metric tons to 1,000 metric tons annually. The project is also set to introduce new commercial capabilities, including tripling the footprint of its existing powder production building for nickel, titanium and stainless-steel metals, and adding dedicated facilities for refractory metals and ingot melting. This will help to solidify a 100% domestic supply chain for materials critical to U.S. national security.
"The combination of federal support through the DPA Title III grant and the capital from our successful IPO allows us to fast-track our vision of a secure, sustainable, and domestic supply of critical metals," said Frank Roberts, CEO of 6K Additive. "We aren't just adding floor space and buildings; we’re constructing a world-class industrial campus to anchor a secure supply chain across the defence, aerospace, and energy industries."
As 6K Additive expands both footprint and capabilities, the company will produce spherical powders and alloy additions, including tungsten, rhenium, and C-103 for missile systems and flight surfaces, specialised alloys for advanced reactors and fusion energy, and high-strength nickel and titanium components for next-generation propulsion.
