Expanding Possibilities with Wide-Width, Light-Gauge Strip
November 24, 2025Comments
In late 2024, Ulbrich expanded its global manufacturing footprint with the acquisition of precision-rolling operations in New Bedford, MA, now operating as Ulbrich Precision Alloys (UPA).
1. Ulbrich has traditionally been known for narrow precision strip. Can you tell us about Ulbrich Precision Alloys (UPA) and how this acquisition changes what’s possible for manufacturers?
In late 2024, Ulbrich expanded its global manufacturing footprint with the acquisition of precision-rolling operations in New Bedford, MA, now operating as Ulbrich Precision Alloys (UPA). This addition introduced light-gauge rolling capabilities up to 48 in. wide, allowing us to serve customers requiring both narrow and wide precision materials with the same quality and metallurgical expertise Ulbrich is known for.
It’s an exciting step forward for our company and our customers. By combining this new capacity with our existing precision-rolling experience, we can help manufacturers simplify their process designs, increase yield, and reduce downstream costs, all while maintaining the precision and consistency that define Ulbrich. This integration also enables closer collaboration between our process engineers and customers to ensure that the wider material performs optimally in their forming or stamping operations.
2. What industries stand to benefit most from this wider-width, light-gauge capability?
We see immediate value for customers in several industries including automotive, aerospace, electronics and industrial manufacturing. These markets often demand light gauges with very tight tolerances and surface control, and the ability to roll them in wider widths enables new design possibilities. For instance, automotive heat-shield and battery-component producers now can work with single, seamless coils that reduce scrap and improve performance. We also see growing opportunities in the energy sector, where wide, light-gauge materials support higher efficiency and performance requirements.
3. Flatness often is mentioned as a critical characteristic, made more difficult at greater widths. How does Ulbrich ensure precision at these larger sizes?
Flatness becomes more challenging as widths increase, so we’ve invested in precision leveling and proprietary rolling practices that correct flatness during rolling rather than after. Our operators continuously monitor tension and elongation through each pass, making real-time adjustments to achieve the target flatness profile. It’s a system-wide approach that includes metallurgical expertise, process monitoring, and custom rolling schedules. The result is coil that runs flatter and feeds cleaner, which translates directly to improved productivity for our customers.
