INDUSTRY FACES


Walter (Terry) Lutz, Who Built Signicast Into World Leader, Retires Walter (Terry) Lutz, who led Sig-


nicast, Hartford, Wis., to its current status as the world’s largest com- mercial investment casting company, has retired, leaving the company in a position to continue building on his ideals for success. Lutz started his career at Haynes


Stellite, Kokomo, Ind., and became general manager of the company in 1974. He then purchased Signicast, along with Bob Schuemann and Jim Capadona, in 1981. Lutz became the visionary force


behind Signicast. Trough his inno- vations, he turned the company into one of the most highly automated investment casting job shops in the country and helped design facilities with continuous flow production. “It started with us looking at


Te improvements improved the in-


Terry Lutz’s entrepreneurial sprit and strong drive for sucess helped Signicast grow its business.


our Milwaukee facility and seeing a bunch of people hunting around for the parts they were supposed to be working on,” Lutz said in a MODERN CASTING interview after being chosen as the 2008 Metalcaster of the Year. “Now we start and finish an order before moving on to the next one.” Today, the company is a true just-in-time operation.


PERSONALS Palmer Manu-


facturing & Supply Inc., Springfield, Ohio, recently announced JD Hill as its new opera- tions manager and Philip Ritenour as design engineer.


vestment casting process at Signicast by lowering cost and lead times. Trough Lutz’s foresight, the company was able to offer component repeatability that allowed end-users from many markets to utilize investment casting. Lutz said his goal was to empower his team to make decisions, supply them with the information they needed and work toward a common sense approach in manufacturing. During his time with Signicast, Lutz grew the company’s annual sales from $5.7 million in 1981 to $149 million in 2011. He also led the company to reduce its manufacturing throughput from the industry average of 21 days to 4.5 days. In 2008, Lutz over- saw the sale of Signicast to Te Pritzker Group. Trough this transaction, he believed he would ensure the vitality and leadership of Signicast into the future. Todd McDonald, former vice


president of sales, and Greg Gasper, former vice president of manufacturing, will succeed Lutz as president/CEO and COO. Te company does not expect a transition period, as the executive team, including Lutz’s successors, has been in place for many years.


OBITUARIES On Dec. 27, 2011, Ray Barksdale, JD Hill


Diana Lados, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Worcester Poly- technic Institute, Worcester, Mass., received a five-year, $525,000 CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation to develop lightweight metals, includ- ing casting alloys, for transporta- tion applications.


Philip Ritenour 14 | MODERN CASTING June 2012


Paso Robles, Calif., died at the age of 84. Barksdale worked as a casting buyer before starting his own invest- ment casting facility, Sigma Casting Corp., which he grew to 155 employ- ees in 20 years before retiring.


Walter Lovejoy, North Palm Beach,


Fla., passed away on Dec. 28, 2011, at the age of 83. After completing his studies in the 1940s, Lovejoy began his career at A-1 Tool, Melrose Park, Ill., in 1948 and became president and part owner of the company four years later. When it was sold to food process- ing company Beatrice in the late ‘60s, Lovejoy remained with the company. In 1982, he started Lovejoy Industries Inc., Oak Brook, Ill. He was chairman of the company until his passing.


On Jan. 18, Richard Ebersole, St.


Charles, Mo., died at age 87. Ebersole was a metal salesman for ASARCO, Tucson, Ariz., Allied Metals, Chicago, and Trialco, Chicago Heights, Ill., and a hall of fame member of the North American Die Casting Association.


Robert Jenkins, Beverly, Ohio, died at 83 on Feb. 9. Jenkins received a degree in metallurgy from the Metals Engineering Institute while attending Rio Grande College, Rio Grande, Ohio. He retired from Globe Metallurgical Inc., Beverly, Ohio, af- ter serving the company for 50 years as executive vice president of sales and marketing and co-owner. Jenkins was a member of the American Foundry Society (AFS), the Foundry Education Foundation and the Duc- tile Iron Society, where he also served as a board member.


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