Articles: Industry News

Senior leaders from across the U.S. Army gathered early in December at AFS Corporate Member Rock Island Arsenals Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center for a two-day war game about advanced manufacturing.

The session focused on enhancing and synchronizing efforts so the Army can best leverage technology to achieve its modernization and readiness goals. Advanced manufacturing is viewed as a potential game-changer for how the Army designs, produces, delivers, and sustains materiel capabilities. 

Bradken’s Specialty Products North America (SPNAM) business has been sold to Los Angeles-based investment firm TerraMar Capital. SPNAM manufactures highly-engineered, large, complex, mission critical castings for customers in defense, specialized industrial, rail and transit markets.

The locations in Tacoma Washington, Atchison Kansas, St. Joseph, Missouri, and London, Ontario are included in the acquisition. Due to the divesture from Bradken, they have taken the name Vulcan Metals Corp.

SMG Group announced the acquisition of AFS Corporate Member Hunter Foundry Machinery Corporation, a global maker of matchplate molding machines, mold handling equipment and sand casting technology for the global foundry market.  

AFS Corporate Member Premier Aluminum has completed 365 consecutive days without an OSHA recordable incident.
“This milestone represents more than just numbers – it’s about our people going home safely to their families every day,” said General Manager Russ Detiege. “It’s a testament to our team’s dedication to creating and maintaining a culture of safety excellence.”

The company says the achievement is noteworthy given the complex nature of aluminum manufacturing operations, which involve heavy machinery, high-temperature processes, and precise handling requirements. 

Nordstern Group in Winnipeg, Canada, parent company of AFS Corporate Member Sure Cast Aluminum Foundry, has purchased a building to add to its primary manufacturing campus. A $7.5-million renovation is underway that is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2025. 

Effective January 1, 2025, Tinker Omega Sinto will become a part of the Sinto America Group under Roberts Sinto in Grand Ledge, Michigan––both AFS Corporate Members. At that time, all incoming orders for equipment and parts will be manufactured at Grand Ledge.

Members of the current sales team will continue representing Tinker Omega product lines and spare parts. The company will maintain a sales and engineering office in Springfield, Ohio, after manufacturing has transitioned to Grand Ledge. 

AFS Corporate member SUN METALON INC., a pioneer in the metal recycling and refining industry, announced the successful closure of a $21 million Series A funding round, bringing total capital raised to $30.7 million. 
Headquartered in Chicago, SUN METALON says it aims to revolutionize the metal industry by delivering innovative, energy-saving, and CO2-emission-reducing solutions for sustainable metal manufacturing and recycling for metal casting, die casting, and machining operations involved in automotive, construction machinery, heavy industry, and steel manufacturing.

AFS Corporate Member HA-International, LLC (HAI) has made a significant investment in the construction of a new, state-of-the-art feeders production plant at its manufacturing site in Oregon, Illinois. 

“This investment is about more than just infrastructure—it’s about delivering even greater value to our customers,” said CEO Gordon Mc Neilage.

The facility will integrate sustainability practices, prioritizing energy efficiency and supporting the company’s broader goals of reducing its environmental footprint.  

Marco Gonzalez, corporate energy manager at AFS Corporate Member Waupaca Foundry, has been selected as the Energy Manager of the Year for the Midwest by the Association of Energy Engineers. The award was presented at the association’s regional awards in September. 

The AFS CastExpo show (Atlanta, April 12–15) will include a keynote lecture on manufacturing reshoring––AFS Member foundries are invited to share a customer success story for this important plenary presentation.

“Reshoring Update for North American Foundries” will be presented April 15 by Harry Moser, founder of The Reshoring Initiative. Please email him with a summary of a how your casting customer successfully reshored some or all of its business back to North America: harry.moser@reshorenow.org.