Articles: Industry News

MacLean Power Systems announced a $5.3 million investment to upgrade equipment and the 67,000 sq. ft. foundry in Alabaster, Alabama. The current foundry employs 90 and sits on 22 acres.

In a news release, the company said the the investment will "bring advanced aluminum mold making and mold handling operations to the foundry, which now offers aluminum casting and fiberglass products finishing and assembly." Development will begin in the middle of 2019, and production is expected in the first quarter of next year.

AFS Corporate Member Clow Valve (Oskaloosa, Iowa) has again been approved for the Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Administration (IOSHA) Voluntary Protection Program Star status.

Clow Valve has been a VPP site since 2007. The VPP promotes effective worksite-based safety and health and is an elite honor awarded to businesses that demonstrate safety compliance, employee involvement, employee training, and plant improvements that go above and beyond compliance. Approval into the VPP is OSHA’S official recognition of the efforts of the employers and employees.

AFS Corporate Member Waupaca Foundry Inc., a Hitachi Metals group company, announced it is opening a machining operation adjacent to its gray iron foundry located on the east side of Waupaca, Wisconsin. The new machining plant will machine brake components for the commercial vehicle market produced at Waupaca Foundry.

The facility has 50,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space and will initially employ 15 skilled workers. The decision to expand operations beyond raw castings was to support customer demand.

AMERICAN Flow Control, the valve and hydrant division of AFS Corporate Member AMERICAN Cast Iron Pipe Company (Birmingham, Alabama), has announced the formation of AMERICAN Innovation LLC. According to a news release, the company is dedicated to research and development and intends to construct a facility, the AMERICAN Flow Control Center for Innovative Excellence, in Crawfordsville, Indiana, this summer.

ATLANTA – Another successful CastExpo wrapped up Tuesday.

After 3 1/2 days of full-scale exhibits, cutting-edge technology demos, packed aisles, exciting new equipment, innovative sessions and a show floor full of energy, CastExpo said goodbye until 2022 in Columbus, Ohio.

“CastExpo 2019 was very well-received by all of our various audiences, and we were thrilled to have more than 5,000 guests from 32 countries in attendance,” AFS CEO Doug Kurkul said.

ATLANTA – When he was asked to reflect on his career accomplishments, Von L. Richards talked about his emotions walking the CastExpo show floor. Everywhere he turned, he saw former students working in important industry and academic roles and keeping metalcasting on a positive trajectory.

Seeing that made a mark.

“That’s really great,” Richards said. “If I not only contributed to the industry, but also to the furtherance of the industry with the new academics that are involved in the industry.”

ATLANTA – Frank Abagnale Jr. frequently delivers speeches about forgery, embezzlement, and secure documents. His keynote address Monday at CastExpo focused on his life story, which was made into a blockbuster hit movie by Steven Spielberg and Leonardo DiCaprio.

ATLANTA – Dr. Doru Stefanescu has accomplished a lot during his career. Yet, delivering the Hoyt Memorial Lecture clearly meant something to him.

“It’s an extraordinary honor. It’s something that makes me humble, because if you look at the previous speakers, it’s a kind of who’s who in metalcasting,” Stefanescu said. “To receive such an honor is something very special. I’m very grateful to the selection committee, that they picked me.”

ATLANTA – With a set of oversized scissors, current AFS president Jean Bye cut the ribbon early Saturday morning to officially open CastExpo. And while he clearly had fun as the emcee of the event, incoming AFS president Peter Reich relished seeing everybody in attendance.

“Oh man, can you tell how fun it is? It’s just fun to be able to see the people show up,” Reich said. “We can send emails and texts and we can have your person call our person and then we can read in the magazine and we can call each other and check out each other… no, the big thing is you show up.”

Barron Industries (Oxford, Michigan) is increasing capacity to meet demand from its defense customers for aluminum, stainless and carbon steel precision castings. The company is growing its workforce by more than 30% and investing in new equipment to bring on a second and third shift at its 65,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in southeast Michigan.