AMHERST, N.Y., Sept. 13 (UPI) -- ESM Group Inc. of New York is building an Atomized Magnesium Metal Powder production facility at its Saxonburg, Pa., plant.
The powders that will be produced are essential ingredients for military countermeasure flares used to protect aircraft from missiles.
The company said exact particle size and particle shape control are critical for the proper function of these countermeasures and ESM's longexperience with the manufacture and handling of magnesium powders for other industries and applications provide the ideal basis to diversify into these new applications.
Construction for the first phase of the new facility -- a 4,200 sq. ft. building -- begins this month, the company said. Production will begin in the second quarter of 2011.
The contractors for the plant will be all local companies in support of local business and ESM will be specifying the use of domestic building steel for an "All-American" shop, it said.
