Released on July 28, 2010

ThyssenKrupp Waupaca (TKW), Waupaca, Wis., announced it will resume production at its Plant 6 in Etowah, Tenn., in January 2012, and approximately 20,000 sq. ft. of new manufacturing space will be added to the facility.

According to a company press release, the decision to reopen and expand the plant was made in response to increasing market demand for gray and ductile iron castings.

“The reopening of our Etowah foundry is good news for our customers and for the state of Tennessee, but also for the men and women we will be able to put back to work,” said Gary Gigante, TKW president and chief executive officer. “Our facility is one of the most technologically advanced in the iron castings industry, and we are proud to once again be open for business.”

TKW will add the new manufacturing space, as well as new melt, core and mill room equipment for ductile iron production, to its existing 270,000-sq.-ft. facility, which operates four high-speed vertical green sand molding machines.

According to the company statement, startup of the metalcasting facility will occur in two phases. After the new equipment is installed in the third quarter of 2011, phase one will focus on gray iron production and begin in the first quarter of 2012. Full production is expected to begin no later than the end of the third quarter. Phase two will include the launching of ductile iron production in the second quarter of 2012. Full production is expected by the first quarter of 2013.

Castings manufactured at Plant 6 are used by the passenger car and light truck, material handling, agriculture, construction, hydraulic and commercial vehicle market segments. At full production, the facility is capable of producing 200,000 tons of gray and ductile iron castings. TKW announced it will hire more than 250 hourly employees for the re-start of the foundry starting in August, with a further 200 jobs expected to be added through 2014. The company said it will begin with the rehiring of former employees impacted by the 2010 idling.

In May, the executive board of TKW parent Thyssenkrupp AG, Essen, Germany, announced its intention to divest the iron casting division as part of its plan to reduce debt and focus on the automotive sector, particularly in emerging markets. The parent company has declined to update the status of the divesture.