Industry News

AFS Corporate Member Hunter Foundry Machinery Corporation (Schaumburg, Illinois) presented a donation of $5,000 to the manufacturing technology program at Harper College (Palatine, Illinois).

The program’s main objective is to decrease the shortage of skilled labor.

In 2019, Hunter personnel taught a basic metalcasting foundry class to high school students in LaBelle, Florida, and assisted AFS on Manufacturing Day. At both events students were able to make their own castings, creating a hands-on experience.

AFS Corporate Member St. Paul Foundry (St. Paul, Minnesota) announced the successful completion of its annual AS9100(D) and ISO 9001:2015 surveillance audit.

“Our auditor said that our progress over the past year was some of the best he has seen in his career. He said the growth and maturity of our systems was exceptional. There were zero findings from the audit,” said David Hartigan, Quality Engineering Manager. 

Precision Castparts Corp. announced Mason, Ohio, will house a concept research and development integration center for its PCC Aerostructures division and a manufacturing innovation center for its SPS Technologies business.

PCC will invest $128 million in two facilities on 31 acres. The new campus is expected to bring 190 new employees to the city.

PCC is a build-to-print manufacturer of complex structural and mechanical assemblies in the aerospace industry.

AFS Corporate Member Mercury Marine (Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin) received the Sustainable Process Award from the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council.

The award recognized Mercury Marine for sustainability in the company’s manufacturing of aluminum outboard marine engine blocks.

The company uses recycled sources of aluminum, which saves energy. They also use less energy when melting metal.

Mitsui Kinzoku Die-Casting Technology America is building a $20 million facility in Griffin, Georgia. The project is expected to create 30 jobs, with the potential for more as the plant expands.

“We are honored to locate our U.S. manufacturing site in the beautiful city of Griffin,” said Hiroyuki Nakazawa, president, Mitsui Kinzoku Die-Casting Technology Co. “MKDA will strive to be a company that is rooted in the local community.”

The facility will produce automotive products, focusing on ones for electric vehicles.

AFS Corporate Member The C.A. Lawton Company (De Pere, Wisconsin) has merged with Temperform (Novi, Michigan) as part of a long-term acquisition and expansion strategy.

Day-to-day operations will remain the same at both Temperform and The C.A. Lawton Co. The companies said in a news release they are “creating a new specialty metals platform that will better position both companies for growth in the industry.” This merger will allow each company access to the other’s products and enhance value-added offerings across their customer bases.

According to local reports, Brinco (Wilmington, Delaware) is planning to open a steel casting plant in Bristol, Indiana.

The Elkhart Truth reported Brinco will invest almost $35 million and is planning to hire 250 workers. The plant would produce rail parts.

In 2019, Brinco purchased the facility for $10 million. The company intends to invest $4.5 million to improve the space, and also spend $15 million on equipment at the 430,000 sq. ft. facility.

The Springfield (Ohio) Art Museum has scheduled a three-month exhibit of David Knapp’s paintings.

The exhibit will begin around mid-July and run until September and is expected to show at least 20 pieces of Knapp’s work, which depict foundries.

Knapp enjoyed a long and successful career in the metalcasting business and is also an accomplished artist.

AFS Corporate Member Saguenay Foundry (Chicoutimi, Quebec) was presented with a regional distinction Quebec Performance Award. 

The Québec Performance Awards are the highest distinction awarded annually by the Québec government to private companies and public organizations that stand out for the quality of their management and overall performance.

Saguenay Foundry is an iron casting facility that produces large heavy duty parts weighing from 200-16,000 lbs. The company has also made moves for its future.

Grede (Southfield, Michigan), a developer, manufacturer assembler and supplier of ductile, gray, and specialty iron castings and machined components for automotive, commercial vehicle and industrial markets,  announced its first day of operations as an independent company.