The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) will be awarding $23.4 million to 6k Additive, LLC. The funds, made possible by the Defense Production Act Investment (DPAI) Program, will be used to improve the company’s ability to upcycle waste and scrap material for conversion into higher grade metals. This material will be used in defense and commercial supply chains. 6K Additive plans to use the award on facility renovations and new equipment, leading to an increase in capacity. Currently, the company generates a range of high-grade metals, including titanium, niobium, nickel, and tungsten.
In a recent quote, Dr. Laura Taylor-Kale, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy (ASD (IBP)), said, "U.S. dependency on foreign sources for specialty metals presents a significant risk to national security. 6K's products will feed supply chains that form the basis of our military's core warfighting capabilities."