Industry News

Inductotherm founder’s legacy fuels numerous scholarships through FEF

AFS Corporate Member Inductotherm continued its annual support in 2021 of the Foundry Educational Foundation (FEF) through the Henry M. Rowan (HMR) Family Foundation to further his desire to give “where it would do the most good for the most people.” Thanks to the unwavering support from the HMR Family Foundation since the endowment was created in 2013, FEF was able once again to sustain this commitment to provide uninterrupted scholarships of over $200,000 to 169 students from this fund. 

Tooling & Equipment International adds second VX4000 3D printer from voxeljet

Tooling & Equipment International (TEI), an AFS Corporate Member, has purchased its second  VX4000 system from voxeljet AG. TEI is one of the largest users of 3D sand printing in the U.S. and runs a fully equipped aluminum foundry in Livonia, Michigan. The investment will help the company further expand its capacities for additive manufacturing and tackle technically demanding projects for prototyping and production orders.  

Eck Industries, Imperial Mining prototype scandium-aluminum EV battery box

Imperial Mining Group Ltd. and its partner, AFS Corporate Member Eck Industries are set to begin the prototyping phase of a joint program to make EV battery boxes for a major North American automotive manufacturer. The companies have completed tests that showed scandium-modified aluminum-magnesium (535-series) alloy components met or exceeded the OEM’s requirements.

Aluminum Castings Co. part of Lignon’s Alcast acquisition

Ligon Capital, an affiliate of Birmingham, Alabama-based Ligon Industries, has purchased Alcast Co. and its subsidiaries, Aluminum Castings Co. and Voss Pattern, for more than $50 million, according to a report from “Birmingham Business Journal.” The deal closed Sept. 30.

Alcast is a producer of fully machined permanent mold aluminum castings using a proprietary electromagnetic low-pressure process. With the purchase of Alcast, Ligon is now the largest independent provider of permanent mold castings in North America.

Chicago Magnesium Casting Co. adds equipment

AFS Corporate Member Chicago Magnesium Casting Company is investing in new equipment to create dozens of new jobs in the Chicago's south suburb of Dixmoor, according to a web report by CBS Chicago. 

“We are excited about adding 40 new jobs to the Dixmoor facility, as well as investing $1.1 million to invest in state-of-the-art equipment to our facility,” said Bob Littlefield, president of the Chicago Magnesium Casting Co.

The company specializes in magnesium and aluminum castings for the aerospace industry.

Doubled Demand at Lodge Cast Iron Triggers Capital Investments

Demand for products made by cookware specialist Lodge Cast Iron has doubled in the last two years, prompting the foundry to expand its molding capacity by 30% with new equipment that will push its yearly output at two South Pittsburgh, Tennessee, facilities from 70 million lbs. to 100 million. 

The foundry bought the first DISAMATIC D5 molding machine in the U.S and will install DISA’s full Monitizer digital solution, including the Artificial-Intelligence-driven Monitizer | PRESCRIBE––the latter is scheduled to be running by next spring.