Nitinol supplier Fort Wayne Metals sold

Axel Johnson Inc. (AJI) has acquired Fort Wayne Metals and the medtech nitinol supplier’s parent company, Fort Wayne Metals Research Products.

Terms of the sale were not disclosed. Founded in 1970 by Ardelle Glaze and most recently led and owned by his son Scott Glaze, Fort Wayne Metals will remain headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Nitinol is a nickel-titanium alloy that’s uniquely useful for minimally invasive medical devices thanks to its superelastic and shape-memory properties.

Fort Wayne Metals is one of the main suppliers of medical-grade nitinol and has expanded in recent years as demand surged, driven by rapid growth in next-generation cardiovascular implants like heart valves and therapeutic catheters such as those used for pulsed-field ablation (PFA).

MDO Nitinol Innovations Special Report: Pulsed-Field Ablation

The company’s nitinol melt program won it a Medtronic Supplier Innovation Excellence Award in 2026. (Learn more about how the world’s largest medical device company uses nitinol in an MDO webinar interview with Medtronic Distinguished Engineer Ramesh Marrey.)

New York City-based AJI invested in Fort Wayne Metals in 2021.

“Today marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Fort Wayne Metals and AJI,” AJI CEO Sara Greenstein said in a news release. “Over the past several years, we’ve come to know this business well and have developed a deep appreciation for its talented people, strong customer relationships, and commitment to innovation. What excites us most are the opportunities ahead. Together, we will continue investing in the capabilities, products, and people that have made Fort Wayne Metals a recognized industry leader while building on its extraordinary legacy of improving lives around the world.”

Fort Wayne Metals CEO Jeremy Rohrs said AJI has “consistently demonstrated a long-term mindset, respect for our culture, and confidence in our team.”

“This milestone represents an exciting opportunity for our employees, customers, and partners,” Rohrs said in the release. “… As we look ahead, we are well positioned to accelerate our growth, continue innovating for our customers, and build on our legacy of enabling solutions that improve lives and advance innovation around the world.”

AJI was founded in 1920 and describes itself as “a family owned investment company committed to using business as a force for positive change.”

The company has more than 5,500 employees and operates as an independent member of Stockholm-based Axel Johnson Group.

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