AFS Corporate Member Waupaca Foundry, a Hitachi Metals company, opened its manufacturing plant in Ironwood, Michigan.

The facility will process castings produced in Waupaca, Wisconsin. The facility is expected to create 61 new jobs and an investment of $4.3 million and covers 50,000 sq. ft.

“The economy is strong, and Waupaca Foundry is growing due to increased customer demand for cast and machined iron castings,” Waupaca executive vice president John Wiesbrock said. “Opening a facility to handle cleaning and finishing of cast parts will allow us to meet customers’ expectations in quality and delivery of their parts.”

Waupaca expanded to Ironwood to find more solid and dependable workers.

“Like many employers across the nation Waupaca Foundry is finding ways to overcome low unemployment and a shortage of skilled workers,” Waupaca president, COO & CEO Mike Nikolai said. “There simply are not enough workers to fill the open positions we have so we explored expansion in regions that had a solid base of talented workers.”