Nearly 62% of reporting foundries say they have a positive business outlook for the next 12 months. This robust, forward-looking sentiment is part of the snapshot captured in the most recent AFS Metalcasters Quarterly Outlook Survey conducted in November just after the election. 

Less than 18% of foundries indicated a negative business outlook. Indeed, many foundry leaders and supplier-company leaders have reported anecdotally that orders increased as soon as the election was completed.

The optimism stands in contrast to a 2024 calendar year in which many foundries saw sales flat or slightly declining. In the November survey, 52% said that sales had declined in the previous 90 days, whereas 25% reported flat sales and 22% reported an increase.

Fully 35% of foundries report that they expect a 4%–6% increase in sales over the coming 12 months, while nearly 23% expect even faster sales growth. If this anticipated growth materializes in 2025, it will be more reminiscent of the period of brisk casting sales experienced from mid-2021 until late 2023.

Several conditions may account for the current optimistic outlook, including anticipated major investments in water and transportation infrastructure, a continued emphasis on modernizing U.S. national defense and aerospace capabilities, as well as the prospect of pro-growth public policies that should help support strong economic growth and demand for castings.

Reflecting the anticipated strength in orders, half of responding foundries expect modest growth in their number of employees in 2025. Meanwhile, 95% of foundries plan to make capital investments in their foundries in 2025.
The areas of capital investment most anticipated in foundries in 2025 are as follows:

Robotics    29%
Grinding Equipment    26%
Molding Equipment    25%
Conveyors    25%
Machine Tools    23%
Coremaking Machines    23%
Additive (3DP) Technology    20%
Environmental Controls    17%
Sand-Prep Equipment    14%
Blast Cleaning Technology    14%
Cranes and Hoists    14%
Melting Equipment    11%
Accounting/CRM    11%
Air Compressors    11%
Inspector/Testing Equipment    11%
Sand Reclamation    9%
Permanent Mold Systems    9%
Pouring Systems    9%
Industry 4.0 Investments    9%
Heat Treating Equipment    9%

Several other categories of investments were also documented with fewer than 9% of respondents selecting those investments.

“The foundry industry continues to make substantial investments to optimize operations and deliver maximum value to customers,” said Doug Kurkul, CEO of AFS.

Most of these technologies and products will be on display at CastExpo 2025 in Atlanta, April 12–15. The show will feature more than 300 exhibits, as well as keynote speakers, technical and management sessions, awards presentations and Foundry-in-a-Box demonstrations. More than 6,000 persons are expected. To foster the future of the metalcasting industry, AFS will welcome students and key professors into CastExpo at no charge. Learn more at castexpo.com.