Industry News

AFS Corporate Member Chicago Magnesium Casting Company is investing in new equipment to create dozens of new jobs in the Chicago's south suburb of Dixmoor, according to a web report by CBS Chicago. 

“We are excited about adding 40 new jobs to the Dixmoor facility, as well as investing $1.1 million to invest in state-of-the-art equipment to our facility,” said Bob Littlefield, president of the Chicago Magnesium Casting Co.

The company specializes in magnesium and aluminum castings for the aerospace industry.

Demand for products made by cookware specialist Lodge Cast Iron has doubled in the last two years, prompting the foundry to expand its molding capacity by 30% with new equipment that will push its yearly output at two South Pittsburgh, Tennessee, facilities from 70 million lbs. to 100 million. 

The foundry bought the first DISAMATIC D5 molding machine in the U.S and will install DISA’s full Monitizer digital solution, including the Artificial-Intelligence-driven Monitizer | PRESCRIBE––the latter is scheduled to be running by next spring. 

AFS Corporate Member Donsco Inc. recently rearranged the layout of one of its two plants for a more efficient working environment, which includes four Sinto Barinder high-speed, automated grinders. To maximize its equipment investment, the foundry sent a team to the manufacturer’s plant for four days of technical, hands-on training that included programming, fixture design, maintenance and program editing.  

JD Castings, based in Niagara, Wisconsin, is expanding six miles to the northwest in Iron Mountain, Michigan, which is just over the Wisconsin state line about 100 miles north of Green Bay. The foundry’s new facility is expected to create up to 24 new jobs and generate a total private investment of $770,000 with the support of a $200,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant approved by the Michigan Strategic Fund. The company elected to expand in Michigan instead of at its existing facility in Wisconsin. 

Waterworks product specialists and foundry Ford Meter Box, an AFS Corporate Member in Wabash, Indiana, recently upgraded its existing matchplate molding machine to a DISA MATCH 14/19 with Automatic Core Setter, the first MATCH in the new 14/19 size to be delivered to a customer. 

ATEK Companies, parent firm of AFS Corporate Member Atek Metal Technologies, is celebrating 75 years of innovation and growth. Its other three operating companies, which occupy five locations in Minnesota and Iowa, are ATEK Access Technologies, Solar Plastics and Fluidall. The ATEK family of products serves several diverse industries including motorsports, recreational, transportation, industrial, sporting, agriculture, medical, military, government, and oil and gas.  

Desktop Metal Inc. and AFS Corporate Member The ExOne Company have announced Desktop Metal will acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of ExOne common stock. Valued at $575 million, the transaction has been unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of ExOne and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2021.

AFS Corporate Member ASK Chemicals has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase the industrial resin business from SI Group in New York. Aimed at reinforcing ASK Chemical’s position in the foundry market while strengthening its non-foundry business, the transaction also  includes associated manufacturing sites in Rio Claro (Brazil), Ranjangaon (India), and Johannesburg (South Africa), as well as licensed technology and multiple tolling agreements globally. The deal is expected to close later this year. 

UPDATED AUGUST 3, 2021

AFS Corporate Member Grede, Southfield, Michigan, has acquired AFS Corporate Member Neenah Enterprises Inc.'s (NEI) commercial vehicle business and the supporting capital assets, select portions of its industrial casting business and the Advanced Cast Products (ACP) business in Meadville, Pennsylvania. The deal closed in late July. 

Diecaster Pace Industries has relocated its Arkansas headquarters to Novi, Michigan. The move is expected to create more than 60 new jobs in Novi initially while generating a total private investment of $1.9 million with the support of a $250,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant approved by the Michigan Strategic Fund.

Michigan was chosen for the project after considering Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta, or remaining in Fayetteville. Pace has a workforce of 360 employees in Detroit and Muskegon.