Articles: Industry News

On March 30, Victaulic, a manufacturer of mechanical pipe joining, fire protection and flow control solutions, acquired Horizon Metals Inc., located in Nephi, Utah. Victaulic stated the addition of the 1.4-million sq.-ft. foundry increases its capacity for large-diameter piping solutions and is aligned with the strategy to manufacture these products in the U.S.

Wisconsin-based Winsert, a global advanced manufacturer of critical metal parts for Fortune 500 OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, has acquired Alloy Cast Products, Inc. (ACP), an investment casting and machining manufacturer of exotic cobalt alloys headquartered in Kenilworth, New Jersey. 

Signicast, a Form Technologies company, will celebrate the opening of its latest investment casting facility in October. Milwaukee Finishing Complex (MFC) will round out the family of Signicast locations in the Milwaukee area, expanding secondary operations and other finishing services while acting as an extension of the Hartford and Brown Deer facilities.

Druid Capital Partners and Elyton Capital have bought AFS Corporate Member Franklin Iron Works, Inc. (FIW) and Alabama Castings, LLC––collectively known as “Franklin Iron.” 

According to reporting by bizjournals.com, new ownership plans to retain all 145 Franklin Iron employees. A Druid Capital spokesperson told the BBJ that FIW is hiring for select positions at both of its locations in Thorsby and Aliceville, Alabama.

Dee Manufacturing, an affiliate of AFS Corporate Member Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry, is one of five companies to receive funding from the Minnesota Job Creation Fund and the Minnesota Investment Fund, according to an announcement August 18 from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). Located in Crookston, Dee Manufacturing has been awarded $175,000, which will go toward facility expansion that’s expected to create 30 jobs in the next three years, with an average wage of $19.40 an hour.

McWane Ductile Ohio––part of the McWane, Inc. family of companies––has announced a $45 million total investment in its Coshocton County plant. Its investment has more than doubled since the initial $21.5-million collaboration was finalized with JobsOhio, the Ohio Department of Development, Ohio Southeast Economic Development (OhioSE) and the Coshocton County Port Authority, including a 1.372%, six-year Job Creation Tax Credit from the Ohio Tax Credit Authority. 

Shinhwa Auto USA Corp. is adding a second auto parts manufacturing facility in Auburn, Alabama, as part of a $78 million growth project that will create 42 jobs over the next three years. The company will build a new 400,000-sq.-ft. factory across from its existing location in Auburn Technology Park West. 

The Lawton Standard Co. has recently added Northern Iron & Machine (NIM) located in St. Paul, Minn., to the Lawton Standard family as part of its expansion strategy. NIM produces and machines high-quality gray, ductile, and austempered iron castings up to 250 lbs. This adds to The Lawton Standard Co.’s offerings by both size and method. This will benefit both Lawton and NIM customers with expanded sourcing options.

On July 29, TRM Equity II, a Michigan-based private equity fund, acquired all of the equity of AFS Corporate Member WDC Acquisition LLC, known as Wellman Dynamics (Wellman), which is located in Creston, Iowa, and employs about 350 people. The 100-year-old aerospace supplier manufactures large scale, complex magnesium and aluminum castings for the defense and commercial aerospace markets. 

AFS Corporate Member Buck Co. Inc., in conjunction with its parent company, The Dixon Group, has acquired Richmond Foundry, LLC, a 50-year-old AFS Corporate Member in Dayton, New Jersey, that produces high-quality brass and bronze sand castings. Richmond’s 40,000-sq.-ft. facility adds capacity and capabilities that will benefit both companies’ customers.