Materion offers lightweight, high-strength and hard-wearing aluminum metal matrix composites for valve spring retainers. These performance retainers allow significant weight-saving to replace steel or titanium retainers and offer significant improvements in engine performance, especially at high engine speeds. The proprietary powder metallurgy manufacturing method provides an aluminum matrix reinforced with sub-micron silicon carbide particles to enhance the hardness and strength and allow for low-friction behavior when in contact with steel valve springs.