Alexander Drits is Director for Business Development and New Technologies at the Samara Metallurgical Plant (SMP). He has worked with aluminum alloys for mechanical engineering and aviation since 1969, covering the full cycle from R&D to industrial adoption.
After graduating from MISIS in 1969, he began his career at VILS. In 1986, he received the USSR Council of Ministers Prize for developing alloys 1161, 1973, and 1933. From 1984–1993, he headed the Laboratory of Weldable Aluminum Alloys at All-Russian Research Institute of Aviation Materials, working on the Energia–Buran system. Since 1993, he served as Executive Director of Alcoa’s representative office in Russia. Following Alcoa’s acquisition of SMP in 2005, he became Technology Director at Alcoa Russia (later Arconic). Since 2021, he has been Director for Business Development at SMP (JSC SMP; until 2023 — JSC Arconic SMP).
In 2015, he was awarded the title "Honored Metallurgist"; in 2010 and 2022 - honorary certificates from the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation. He is the author of more than 150 articles and books, and holds more than 80 patents, many of which are used in production.
“The advantages of aluminum allow it to play a crucial role in all fields of mechanical engineering. Increasing the share of aluminum in this segment and creating new alloys with enhanced technical characteristics and properties will make it possible to solve the current challenges facing the industry.”
Alexander Drits
Head of the Mechanical Engineering Sector
Education:
- Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloys (MISIS), 1969.
- PhD (Candidate of Sciences), 1975: Thermomechanical processing of Al–Mg–Zn system alloys.
