Titanium has a huge amount of applications that you may not realize, but it’s not always performed so well, with titanium hitting a 9 year low in early 2017. The most common use of it is in paints and ceramics as titanium dioxide, where the steel-like strength of titanium marries with half the weight to provide a distinct advantage in cladding.
Recessions, and the occasional adoption of alternative materials in claddings and exterior applications, have caused the unpopularity of titanium. However, it’s making a bit of a comeback. Why?
Popularity of Metals
One fact is that metals are almost always needed. Some are greater than others; the coppers and steel-making elements of the world; but the fact remains that metals will always be required somewhere in the world. For titanium, they’ve got an evergreen use as titanium tubes. Quite what they’re used for is less obvious; primarily sporting and motorsport industries. In particular, cyclists use titanium tubes for heavier duty cycles than lighter-weight carbon fibre frames.
Luxuries
As people are getting more money in their pocket following the slow return from the 2008 recession, house buys are on the up and as a result, tiles are on the uptake, paint, too, and much more than that. Accordingly, positive trends in mining stock– of which titanium oxide is a crucial component – is exciting investors.
Titanium, therefore, forms an important component of the ever-important metals industry, and for the intrepid investor they represent excellent and steady return on investment as a long term diversification whilst representing minimal initial outlay.
Future Tech
Tech is, as always, a huge investment hotspot. It’s understandable, given the huge success that correctly placed investment brings; just look at the incredible success story of the iPhone. Investors are so keen to be part of the next breakthrough idea, with a particular focus on startups– the sector has grown again in Q2 2017, continuing a trend in every quarter not marred by uncertainty.
Within this sphere is industrial technology, of course, and titanium is no different. The Tokyo Institute of Technology have discovered superconductivity in titanium oxides, signalling a bright new future for titanium products beyond the classic uses outlined above. With superconductivity a mercurial technology sought by many world governments, you can expect to see more investment sunk into this sector.
Titanium is one of those high-tech, fantastically versatile metals that has fallen on a bit of a slump in recent years as people have sought to diversify their use of metals and money has been short. With more cash in the pocket, and new applications being developed, you can be sure titanium will continue its comeback.