Oklahoma Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell visited AFS Corporate Member EJ in Ardmore, Oklahoma, on December 13. In addition to touring the operations, Pinnell discussed infrastructure, workforce, and area housing issues.
AFS Corporate Member Kent Foundry has received local municipal go-ahead for a $10- to $12-million expansion to its Greenville, Michigan, plant. Plans for the project will likely be unveiled in the late first quarter or early second quarter.
On November 19, the Greenville city voted unanimously to approve establishment of an industrial development district for Kent Foundry. Kent Foundry, a manufacturer of gray and ductile iron castings is owned by Canadian-based parent company Canerector Inc. of Toronto.
Private-equity group Stellex Capital Management has acquired two Pittsburgh-area manufacturers: a ferrous foundry and a forging and machining business, from Arcosa Inc. Both of the acquired companies supply a range of components for railroad and industrial buyers. McConway & Torley is a steel foundry with plants in Pittsburgh and Kutztown, PA, and 60,000 tons/year of melting capacity from three electric arc furnaces. Its cast products include couplers for freight trains and transit cars, knuckles and coupler parts, yokes and followers, striker parts, and draw bars.
The Ohio State University’s Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence (CDME) is leading a project to improve the cybersecurity and operational efficiency of 3D-printed sand molds used in metal casting.
In 1909, AFS Corporate Member Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry (WAF) got its start as the Manitowoc Brass Foundry Company and made castings for Harley-Davidson, Wisconsin Motors and Evinrude Outboard. Abraham Schwartz renamed the company Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry in 1912 and began expanding product lines and offerings, including opening a brass and bronze foundry in the mid-1920s, which primarily served Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company.
AFS Corporate Member South Milwaukee Foundry announced completion of several large capital improvement projects. It is part of the Appleton Group owned by global automation company, Emerson.
To date, the 150,000-sq.-ft. foundry has:
University of Northern Iowa announced Jerry Thiel, director of Metal Casting and Foundry 4.0 Centers for 32 years will retire on effective August 30. UNI noted his work at the centers has contributed significantly to the success of both programs.
Thiel has a diverse industrial background and has held management positions in the metal casting and related industries for over 49 years. He started at the University of Northern Iowa as a foundry specialist in 1992.
AFS Corporate Member Waupaca Foundry Inc. was one of 14 companies nationwide recognized for its outstanding, industry-leading accomplishments in decarbonization, energy and water efficiency, or waste at an individual facility. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Better Building Initiative’s Better Plant recipients were announced at the annual Better Buildings, Better Plants Summit on April 3. This is Waupaca Foundry’s third time to receive this honor.
The International Journal of Metalcasting (IJMC), a peer-reviewed research journal published by the American Foundry Society and Springer Nature Publications, is celebrating its 17th year of publication and is on pace for a record 600 submissions in 2024.
According to Journal Citation Reports, IJMC’s Impact Factor held strong at 2.6 in 2023 compared to 2022 despite the negative impacts of the pandemic on most trade journals. These metrics highlight IJMC’s growing importance and recognition within the global research community.
AFS Corporate Member Unimetal USA, a global provider of carbon products, says it will acquire AFS Corporate Member Larpen Metallurgical Service, a North American supplier of carbon products.
With a 62-year history, Larpen has a strategic network and is positioned near river and ocean ports.
With a global workforce of 2,000, Unimetal manufactures and handles millions of tons of low sulfur green petcoke and calcined petcoke.