Johnson Matthey Gets into Shape

Johnson Matthey (West Chester, PA) has signed a letter of intent to purchase all the stocks of Shape Memory Applications Inc. (SMA; San Jose), a supplier of tubing, wire, sheet, and fabricated components using nickel titanium. "Our expertise in precious metal alloys and micromachining is a perfect fit with SMA's nitinol knowledge base," says Alan Myers, director, noble metals, at Johnson Matthey. "We share the same customer base and will be able to offer clients expanded development solutions and procurement efficiences," he adds.

Nickel titanium, commonly referred to as nitinol, has a number of properties that are of interest to device manufacturers, including the shape memory effect, elasticity, and high damping capability. The properties can be modified by introducing changes in alloy composition, mechanical processes, and heat treatment.