Aluminum Precision Products

What Aluminum Precision Products does

Aluminum Precision Products (APP) is a U.S. precision aluminum forging manufacturer founded in 1965 and headquartered in Santa Ana, California, with a second manufacturing facility in Oxnard. The company produces closed die forgings (both conventional and precision variants with 0-1 degree draft angles), hand open die forgings up to 6,000 pounds, forged wheels (17"-26" sizes), and forged pistons, using a vertically integrated toolset that spans engineering, in-house die-making, 42 hydraulic forging presses (300-8,000 ton), 9 mechanical presses (600-4,000 ton), 3 spin forging centers, heat treatment, Nadcap-accredited metallurgical testing, CNC machining, jig boring to 0.0005 tolerance, and final assembly. APP holds AS-9100D, ISO 9001, QS-9000, and multiple Nadcap certifications, and is on the approved-vendor lists of every major aerospace OEM plus 600+ subtier contractors.

The company's revenue model is direct B2B custom manufacturing sold quote-by-quote to aerospace, defense, automotive, and industrial customers, supported by an enterprise field-sales motion and concurrent engineering with customer design teams. Customer concentration is diversified across major commercial and military airframers (Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Gulfstream, Embraer, Bombardier, NASA) and premium automotive brands served through the APP TECH sub-brand (Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, Audi, McLaren), with additional aftermarket wheel and acquired-brand revenue from Catalina Cylinders (gas cylinders) and Cliff Impacts (impact extrusions). Since 2010 the company has operated as an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), and it is privately held with no public listing or disclosed institutional investors.

Name

Aluminum Precision Products

Legal name

Aluminum Precision Products, Inc.

Website

https://aluminumprecision.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Aluminum Precision Products is a 60-year-old, ESOP-owned U.S. precision aluminum forger serving aerospace, defense, and premium automotive OEMs from two California facilities, producing closed die, open die, wheel, and piston forgings with vertically integrated machining and metallurgical testing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aerospace and Automotive Aluminum Forgings

NAICS

Other Aluminum Rolling, Drawing, and Extruding (331318), Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing (3313)

SIC

Nonferrous Foundries (Castings) (3360)

akta.pro primary industry

Aluminum Value-Added Components (Automotive, Aerospace, Packaging, Building Systems) (IMAKACAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Aluminum Extrusion (IMAKACAG), Aluminum Casting & Ingot/Billet/Slab Production (IMAKACAE)

Keywords

• Aluminum precision forgings
• Aerospace components manufacturing
• Closed die forging
• Forged aluminum wheels
• Defense metal fabrication

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Ana

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Aluminum Forging Products: Manufacture and sale of precision aluminum forgings including closed die forgings, hand open die forgings, forged wheels, and forged pistons. Vertically integrated from engineering to machining to assembly. Revenue generated through direct B2B sales to aerospace, defense, automotive, and industrial customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Aluminum Precision Products manufactures precision aluminum forgings for aerospace, defense, and automotive OEMs. Its core offerings include closed die forgings (conventional and precision), hand open die forgings, forged aluminum wheels, and forged pistons, produced through vertically integrated operations spanning engineering, die design, forging, CNC machining, heat treatment, and assembly. The company also operates acquired brands Catalina Cylinders (aluminum compressed gas cylinders) and APP TECH (high-performance automotive forged components).

Product overview

Aluminum Precision Products (APP) is a precision aluminum forging manufacturer offering an integrated portfolio of forging products and manufacturing services. Core products include Closed Die Forgings (both conventional and precision variants), Hand Open Die Forgings, Forged Wheels, and Forged Pistons. The company operates as a vertically integrated manufacturer providing comprehensive solutions from engineering and tooling design through machining, heat treatment, and assembly. APP's offerings span multiple forging processes including hydraulic, mechanical, and spin forging, with supporting capabilities in CNC machining, metallurgical testing, and surface finishing. The company serves aerospace, defense, automotive, industrial, medical, locomotive, motorsports, power generation, semiconductor, and sports/recreation markets through facilities in Santa Ana and Oxnard, California.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• APP TECH: High-performance forged wheels, engine blocks, pistons, and suspension components for prestigious automotive brands including Ferrari, Lamborghini, Audi, Porsche, and McLaren.

Products and services

• Closed Die Forgings Closed die forging shapes aluminum stock accurately within a die cavity, producing near-net shape components with minimal finishing requirements. Includes both conventional forgings (with draft angles for cost-effective high-volume production) and precision forgings (0–1 degree draft angles, close tolerances, minimal secondary operations). Serves aerospace, defense, automotive, and industrial OEMs.
• Forged Wheels Premium forged aluminum wheels for automotive applications. One-piece wheels available in 17"–23" for street use and 18"–22" for performance applications. Modular center discs for two-piece and three-piece wheel assemblies range from 17"–26". Wheels feature superior strength-to-weight ratios using 6061 T6 aluminum alloy. Targets high-performance automotive OEMs and aftermarket specialists.
• Forged Pistons Precision-forged aluminum pistons for high-performance engines and OEM specifications. Deliver superior strength, durability, and thermal stability compared to cast alternatives, with optimized grain flow for high-compression, high-RPM, and turbocharged engines. Targets performance automotive and motorsports manufacturers.
• Hand Open Die Forgings Open die (hand) forging using flat dies without specialized tooling for custom shapes. Produces superior grain structure with options for Short Traverse (ST), Long Traverse (LT), and Longitudinal (L) grain directions. Ideal for low-volume production, prototyping, and large components, with hand forgings up to 6,000 pounds. Processes aluminum alloys including 2014, 2024, 6061, 7075, and others. Serves aerospace, defense, and industrial customers.
• Catalina Cylinders High and low pressure aluminum compressed gas cylinders for scuba, beverage, medical, and industrial applications. Acquired by APP in 1990 and operates as a wholly owned subsidiary.
• APP TECH High-Performance Automotive Components Sub-brand producing high-performance forged wheels, engine blocks, pistons, and suspension components for premium automotive manufacturers including Ferrari, Lamborghini, Audi, Porsche, and McLaren.

Quantifiable outcome

• Components fly on most commercial airliners, business and private aircraft, helicopters, military fixed-wing aircraft, and high-performance automobiles
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Howmet Aerospace: Howmet Aerospace (formerly Arconic/Howmet) is the largest publicly traded aerospace aluminum and nickel-based alloy forging producer, supplying engine and airframe components to the same Boeing, Airbus, and defense customers as APP. It is a broad incumbent in the same precision aluminum forging category with substantially larger scale.
• Precision Castparts Corp (PCC): PCC, a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary, is one of the largest suppliers of complex metal components including forged and cast aerospace parts. It serves the same Tier-1 aerospace and defense OEMs as APP across engine, airframe, and mission-critical components, operating at significantly larger scale.
• Bharat Forge: Bharat Forge is the world's largest forging company, producing forged components in steel, aluminum, and titanium for automotive, aerospace, oil & gas, and industrial markets. While primarily steel-focused, its aluminum forging segment competes with APP across automotive and select aerospace programs at global scale.
• Constellium: Constellium is a global aluminum product manufacturer specializing in rolled products, extrusions, and automotive structures. While focused more on flat-rolled and extruded aluminum rather than forgings, it serves the same aerospace and automotive customers and competes for aluminum-intensive lightweighting programs.
• Kaiser Aluminum: Kaiser Aluminum is a US-based producer of semi-fabricated aluminum mill products serving aerospace, automotive, and packaging. Notably, APP acquired Kaiser Oxnard in 2002 to add mechanical press capability. While Kaiser focuses on rolled and extruded products, it shares aerospace customers and aluminum-supply dynamics with APP.

Direct peers

• Doncasters Group: Doncasters manufactures precision forged and cast components for aerospace, defense, and industrial markets. It directly competes with APP in aluminum and nickel-based alloy forgings serving the same global Tier-1 aerospace OEM customers, with comparable certifications and product breadth.
• Scot Forge: Scot Forge is a US-based manufacturer of custom open die and closed die forgings in carbon, alloy, stainless, and aluminum grades serving aerospace, defense, power generation, and industrial customers. It is a direct peer in custom forging with overlapping capabilities to APP's open die and closed die product lines.
• Aubert & Duval: Aubert & Duval, owned by Airbus and Safran, is a major European producer of forged and cast high-performance metallic parts for aerospace, defense, and energy. It is a direct competitor to APP in aluminum and titanium aerospace forgings, supplying similar Tier-1 OEM customers.
• Otto Fuchs KG: Otto Fuchs is a German-based global manufacturer of aluminum, titanium, and magnesium forgings and extrusions for aerospace, automotive, and industrial markets. It directly competes with APP in aluminum precision forgings for aerospace and high-performance automotive applications.
• Canton Drop Forge: Canton Drop Forge is a US-based custom open die and closed die forging manufacturer serving aerospace, defense, power generation, and industrial markets. It is a direct peer with comparable capabilities in custom forging, serving similar industrial and defense end markets to APP.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights4 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aluminum-precision-products

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aluminum Precision Products