Released on November 5, 2009

Gray iron caster Great Lakes Castings LLC, Ludington, Mich., recently was certified by customer Armstrong International Inc., Three Rivers, Mich., as an “Elite Vendor.”

“This is a distinct recognition,” said Susan Boele, a buyer for Armstrong International. “Very few metalcasting facilities make this grade, and Great Lakes earned it by consistently delivering quality products on time.”

Great Lakes operates a metalcasting facility in Ludington and a finishing facility in Holland, Mich. The company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Republic Financial Corp., specializes in castings for the air conditioning, automotive aftermarket, compressor, construction, farm, heating, pump, refrigeration and valve industries.

“We’re pleased to have earned this level of recognition from one of our valued customers,” said Rob Killips, chief executive officer of Great Lakes. “This certification represents a major achievement by our dedicated team of employees who show up to work everyday with a commitment to building world-class products that meet or exceed our customers’ expectations.”

Armstrong International provides systems intended to improve utility performance, lower energy consumption and reduce environmental emissions, as well as a variety of products for steam, air and hot water utilization. The company employs 1,000 and has manufacturing arms in the U.S., Canada, Belgium, China, Mexico, India, Japan, France and Korea.

“We are most proud to be affiliated with Great Lakes,” said David Armstrong, chief executive officer and president of Armstrong Global Holdings Inc. “This company certainly aligns very nicely with our quality standards, and they’ve proven themselves time and time again in earning this elite honor.”