MTI and STIRTEC are pleased to announce they have entered into a strategic global partnership to expand Friction Stir Welding machine-build capacity with regional production for customers in the Americas, India, Australia and New Zealand. This collaboration will leverage MTI’s global manufacturing footprint and expertise along with STIRTEC’s advanced Friction Stir Welding (FSW) technology to deliver high-performance FSW machines to customers in these regions.

Although MTI has built FSW machines since the 1990’s, more recently the company focused on FSW contract welding services, completing FSW development projects for OEM Aerospace and full-scale production for tier 1 automotive customers. With an increased demand for this technology driven by EV applications, manufacturers across industries are increasingly leveraging this technology for its ability to join lightweight materials with strong, defect-free welds. As MTI re-entered the FSW machine market, they sought a partner with cutting-edge FSW technology. Dan Adams, President of MTI commented, “MTI chose to partner with STIRTEC because they are leading the way in FSW innovation. With this partnership, MTI will immediately be able to leverage the latest FSW technology advancements to deliver an expanded portfolio of machines for a wide range of industries and applications.”

The partnership also provides additional manufacturing capacity and global sales reach for STIRTEC machines. Gunter Figner, co-founder of STIRTEC adds, “By combining our strengths, we can deliver innovative solutions to new markets, driving growth and creating value for both our customers and stakeholders.”

MTI will focus on machine builds for aluminum and bi-metallic applications alongside contract welding solutions for North and South America, India, Australia and New Zealand, while STIRTEC continues to focus their operations on FSW prototype production and machine manufacturing for the European and Asian markets.
This collaboration leverages the strengths of both companies to build and deliver the most advanced FSW machines to customers efficiently and cost-effectively. Both FSW machines and FSW contract welding services will be sold by MTI as part of a co-branded product line, leveraging MTI’s global sales network.