with customers on the plant level at a much faster pace, rather than running everything through corporate.” During the recession, Wabash bot-
tomed out with production at 30% of capacity and 80 employees. Today, the firm is running at 45% of capacity with 155 employees. It also is expanding with the recent addition of permanent and semi-permanent mold casting to its green sand molding capability.
Advancing Operations Since the days when it was owned
by CMI International and its iconic leader Ray Witt, the Wabash opera- tion always has had a strong base in casting technology. Te plant grew up around its unique cope and drag green sand line. With dual-ladle automated pouring of aluminum into 30 x 34 x 13/13-in. green sand molds, the line achieved speeds of 200 molds/hour. “But we always need to become
GROWTH BEYOND WABASH When Harvey Industries acquired Wabash, one of the first initiatives was to increase mold produc-
tion and flexibility. The line has grown from producing 200 molds/hour to 240.
Harvey Industries’ growth in the metalcasting industry has been focused in two areas—increasing its claim as a one-stop shop and diversifying its business.
In June 2010, the firm took its second step into metalcasting when it acquired another former subsidiary of Hayes Lemmerz International—the aluminum and polymer component plant in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. The facility employs 350 and is focused on the automotive and commercial vehicle industry. “We are seeing similarities in all of our acquisitions to date,” Harvey Industries CEO Jerome Harvey said. “We are taking over firms that the previ- ous owner believed wasn’t in their core strategy. We have been willing suitors and are a company with one vision and one goal. The employees in these companies are receptive to our singular drive because they often have been dealing with changing models.” In February 2011, in a move aimed at diversifying its casting business, Harvey Industries acquired the assets
26 | MODERN CASTING September 2011
more competitive,” Ballinger said. “Te world is flat, and we have to continue to be more competitive from our quality, costing and production standpoint.” Tis necessity lead to an upgrade
on the mold line.
of R.E. Phelon Co., Inc., Aiken, S.C., through its wholly- owned subsidiary Harvey Industries Die-Casting LLC. The 130-employee aluminum diecaster is focused in the lawn and garden, power generation, commercial lighting, appli- ance and industrial markets.
“Like most human tendencies, we lean toward our strong suits. I grew up in the automotive industry and my best educa- tion was at General Motors,” Harvey said. “But we are making a concerted effort to diversify our business. The diecasting acquisition was 80% nonautomotive. While we are not turning our back on automotive by any stretch of the imagination, we do want to diversify.” According to Harvey, the goal for the firm is to reach 40% automotive and 60% nonauto- motive sales.
Harvey Industries’ latest acquisi- tion is the diecasting assets of R.E. Phelon. This addition was intended to help the firm diversify its business away from automotive.
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