Looking ahead at likely demand,


principally in the North and South American markets, large valve parts, vehicle parts, pump and compressor housings, and a wide range of spe- cialized castings are projected to be the most commonly manufactured products at Chihuahua. “Offering ductile and gray iron


in these very large castings, with up to 10 molds per hour, is a some- what unique proposition,” said Vassal. “Customers want the same standards they have come to expect from all our global operations, and


our new capabilities and capacity mean that we can now offer this with large castings. Clients have previously found these sizes prob- lematic to source.”


Location, Location, Location Te need to find the best-posi-


tioned site led Victaulic to Chihua- hua, which is less than 240 miles (400 km) from the U.S. border near El Paso, Texas. Te site necessitated a fairly unique set of precautions. Storms, high winds and hurricanes present a threat, and while the site


is in a desert at 4,900 ft. (1,500m) where rain is not the norm, storm drainage is vital. Also, due to the dry local climate, the soil required modification to compact adequately before construction could begin. “We are talking about more than


two years of high-level planning,” said Wayne Holmberg, manager of facilities engineering, Victaulic. “We reviewed a great number of design iterations before selecting the best one. We wanted to exceed customer requirements and reduce the time it took to build, while also


Capabilities include pouring ductile iron grades 65-45-12 and 80-55-06, as well as gray iron, with up to 10 large molds per hour. 24 | MODERN CASTING July 2014


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