Outokumpu, the global leader in sustainable stainless steel, entered the metal powder market for additive manufacturing in 2023. In May 2025, the commercial production phase is expanding into the aerospace and aviation industry, as Outokumpu delivers the industry-first batch of a new stainless steel powder grade for a unique 3D printing application. A jointly engineered heat exchange component for the aerospace sector, subject to prototype validation, supports the company’s primary focus on producing metal powders that are not yet on the market and are suitable for companies that use technologies to produce parts for demanding specialty applications.
“Outokumpu is committed to accelerating circular business models for high tech stainless steel applications. Our go-to-market strategy is to innovate product designs for complex, high performance geometries for niche applications. While we focus on our expertise in creating new recipes for metal powders, we rely on our ecosystem of 3D printing engineering partners to create end-products according to customer specifications. We are excited to enter the aerospace and aviation industry with our powder solutions,” says Marten Franz, Head of Metal Powder Business at Outokumpu.
The spherical stainless steel powder for the aerospace and aviation industry is refined with specific alloy additives to make it a high performance austenitic stainless steel powder. The solution is an alternative to nickel-based alloys in highly demanding 3D printed applications and has been developed to meet the customer requests for components in small quantities and with shorter development cycles.
Sourcing stainless steel powders to multiple industries
Besides pioneering stainless steel in additive manufacturing for aerospace and aviation applications, Outokumpu has the potential to play a decisive role in shaping new powder grades to serve a variety of sectors.
“We have been ideating medical-grade powder specifications for the health-tech applications, dedicated to the development of nickel-free materials. Such material grade can also be used in jewelry, such as nickel-free stainless steel earrings or watches. In addition, Outokumpu is working on developing heat-resistant alloys for additively manufactured components such as turbines or for use in power plants”, says Marten Franz.
Additive manufacturing is one of the key technological innovations of the 21st century and will play a significant role in the green transition of global economies. Outokumpu’s ambition is to create a wider advanced manufacturing ecosystem where cross-industry collaboration networks and joint development can accelerate circularity in additive manufacturing.
