Articles: Industry News

Linamar is constructing a 91.5-sq.ft. Giga casting facility in Welland, Ontario, Canada, that’s expected to be completed January 2024 and operational in 2025, according to a report by Dave Johnson in the Welland Tribune.  

Serving the automotive, agricultural, and industrial sectors, the company will purchase high-press diecasting equipment for the new facility—each weighing in excess of 6,000 tons, a category with just 25–30 machines in use worldwide. 

AFS Corporate Member The Lawton Standard Co. has added AMSCO Wear Products, Inc., located in Wilmington, Delaware, to its family. AMSCO has been providing cost-effective, wear-resistant steel since 1915. AMSCO’s products include wear parts for steel recycling, mining, and waste-to-energy industries.

SinterCast set a series production all-time high of 4.1 million Engine Equivalents in June, surpassing the four million Engine Equivalent milestone for the first time. This followed production of 3.9 million Engine Equivalents in May, marking an end to the variable production that affected the first four months of the year. 

AFS Corporate Member The Ford Meter Box Co. Inc. (Wabash, Indiana) will expand and modernize its foundry operations and increase downstream production capacity.

The 125-year-old firm manufactures waterworks components for private and public infrastructure markets. Its production departments encompass foundry, machining, assembly, warehousing, and supporting skilled trades operations.

Ford Meter Box plans to construct a 300,000-sq.-ft. state-of-the-art nonferrous foundry on a 90-acre site in Wabash’s northeast industrial park, pending local approvals.

AGCO Corp. recognized two foundries among its eight Supplier of the Year awards: Ferroloy Inc. and American Castings.

“AGCO is pleased to recognize our suppliers, who have helped us proactively meet farmers’ needs across North America,” said Tim Millwood, AGCO senior vice president and chief supply chain officer. “Our suppliers are essential to AGCO’s ability to deliver farmer-focused solutions to sustainably feed our world.”

Nemak Wisconsin has received municipal approval to begin construction of a 49,500-sq.-ft. expansion of its manufacturing facility in Sheboygan. 

The addition will be located on the north side of the existing facility, with 35,300 sq. ft. dedicated to a diecasting production area with storage. The space will accommodate two 4,500-ton diecasting machines and auxiliary equipment.
Construction started last month and is expected to be completed by September 2024. 

Messe Düsseldorf, host of trade fairs in the metalcasting industry, says it will expand its portfolio with the addition of GIFA Mexico. The event will take place October 16–18, 2024, in Mexico City.

LIFT, the Detroit-based Department of Defense manufacturing innovation institute, has signed a new cooperative agreement with the Department of Defense Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) Program to continue to operate the public-private partnership and national manufacturing innovation institute (MII) for the next five years.

McWane Poles, part of AFS Corporate Member McWane Inc.’s family of companies, has opened its newest ductile iron utility poles facility in Provo, Utah. The $18.5 million investment complements McWane’s existing presence in the area and marks the second facility dedicated to poles.

Tooling Tech Group (TTG), a provider of highly-engineered tools and automated assembly equipment to a wide range of industries, has announced Tooling Tech Custom CNC, quick-turnaround machining services for precision parts in sizes up to 150” x 100”, delivering tolerances within 0.005 +/- 0.001.