its U.S.-based subsidiary, Hitachi Metals Automotive Components USA LLC (HMAC). Initiatives include converting one plant to 100%


ductile iron production from a current even mix of gray and ductile iron, installing a horizontal molding line at another facility, increasing machining capabilities through acquisition or partnership and, finally, exploring a Mexico- based casting facility. At the time of the 2014 acquisition, Waupaca Foundry


management understood the potential synergies and inherent advantages related to an ownership group with a heavy interest in metalcasting. “Te question I get most often is, ‘Why did Hitachi Metals buy us?’” Gigante said. “Now that they’ve owned the company for a year, it’s obvious they intend to grow it. Tat’s why they are investing in us. … Te other thing is our customers see [these investments] as steps in the right direction.”


Increasing Capacity for Ductile Iron Te first initiative of Waupaca Foundry’s latest plan is


rather straightforward. Plant 6, a 387,000 sq.-ft. facility in Etowah, Tennessee, splits its annual production evenly between ductile and gray iron. Plans are approved to con- vert the 200,000 tons of annual capacity to entirely ductile iron, with the goal of completion by April 2017. Te project will help improve efficiencies by reducing


the inherent obstacles of transitioning between pour- ing both gray and ductile iron. Additionally, the HMAC facility in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania, which pours only ductile iron, has been near capacity for a number of years. Te project to increase ductile iron capacity at Waupaca Foundry’s Plant 6 will relieve pressure and increase out- put.


“One goal is to grow the Hitachi Metals brand


products, which is primarily ductile iron suspension cast- ings,” said Mike Nikolai, president and COO, Waupaca Foundry. “At capacity, they’ve had little room to grow the business. Essentially, this opens capacity to grow that business while we move gray iron production to other facilities.”


Boosting Machining Capabilities


A recent trend in the global metalcasting industry has seen Asian, European and North American facilities add machining capabilities, either through in-house opera- tions or partnerships. Customers increasingly expect sup- pliers to offer machining. In response, Waupaca Foundry is actively exploring options to add machining capabilities near Plants 1, 2 and 3 in the Waupaca, Wisconsin, area. Te initial goal is to have an existing partner open a facil- ity, focused primarily on machining strategic products. “In the past, our capital was primarily directed at the


foundry capabilities,” Gigante said. “To invest in machin- ing would have limited the casting side of the business. Now, we have the ability to fund both and offering machining is required to get new business.” Te expanded capabilities will better position Waupaca


љՕћ我҅系Ҽ权有۱ङ新Ȕ：ॐ੮KZTGMO-ȕ，ङы Ծ过顾֛，资投ם加љՕћ我。ӦઁيՇङ远长੧进 ȕ。择选ङे正З一是这પљՕћ我，३ԷيՇङ年


构建未来 ҁ合Ӥإ՛Ҹ母Њд定Ӳ՛Ҹ造铸卡٧沃，初年年я


੮，容ӄङ面方З֚խ包Ӧઁ。ӦઁيՇ期И年 ङ ً金立日՛Ҹ子国২ҿՃ֝集ً金立日Њ՛Ҹ卡٧沃明 。ҁ合ऋ战٢؛式正次首）)'3.（՛Ҹў部零车汽 铁铸墨球չ铁灰ф生З一ङ有现ر：括包案方Ӧઁ Դ工З一֨，Դ工ङ铁铸墨球ф生 ङ工Դ转ՊО 安装水平造型ি，通过收购或合ҁ提高机加工ਈ力，最 。Դ建ւ西墨֨，ե 就ك理管ङ՛Ҹ造铸卡٧沃，И३过购收年 ֨ ֨潜ङ生фرե并合՛Ҹ母ङ务Џ造铸ં重Њ，ӱજઍ 。势ѩ֨ӄՃљ用ҁգ协 收ѫТэО֝集ً金立日Ȑ，是题问ङӱौ常经我Ȕ


购我ћ呢;ȑȕ-OMGTZKપ：Ȕ完成收购已经一年д， ћѕТэО是就这。يՇ得ੂ想՛Ҹً金立日，然显很 投ङ样这ОઍЭ户客ङћ我，יՐ。՛Ҹ卡٧沃资投ѫ ȕ。է方يՇङे正是资


提高球墨铸铁уৗ 常非是标ऩЗ一আङӦઁيՇ新最՛Ҹ造铸卡٧沃


֪占Դ工՚ 瓦托ּ州西হँङ՛Ҹ。ङे明 YW LZ（约 平方জ），ҿ球墨铸铁չ灰铁ङ年ф ИҿرӦઋ՛Ҹ。半一占՟ਈ


吨ङ年фਈ完Ҷ


年 月完成。 йرઋ预标ऩ，铁铸磨球ф生ОՊ转 ङ换转间Ф铁铸磨球չ铁灰注浇֨صӗ过通رऩ项થ


劳州о尼法טآйѹ，י此。率效高提৲ђ，ॉ障部ӄ 量ф来љ年ך，铁铸墨球ф生ՑԴ工)'3.ङض维斯Ѱ ՚工Դ提 ङ՛Ҹ造铸卡٧沃֨，此֜。ՊЉ持ґ本ׂ 。量ф高提并力Թф生轻ӗر，ਈфङ铁铸墨球高 要П，սф牌սङ֝集ً金立日يՇ是标ऩङћ我Ȕ


运٭首Ӄ裁总՛Ҹ造铸卡٧沃ȕ，ў铸架悬铁铸墨球是 ׂ已՛Ҹً金立日，Ї量ф֨Ȕ：પOGRUQO4 ੈ官3OQK 扩ӱ१转ਈфङў铁灰رћ我，此֜。间空长增有没本 ȕ。ਈфङ铁铸墨球ם


提高机械加工ৗ力


运ङ部ӄԴ工过通，是势趋يՇ新最ङЏ੧造铸球Ҷ չ施ગԴ工ङ区֪২北չ洲欧、洲о用ӯ式方ҁ合或ੈ 加械机供提לਈ商应供望٥越来越户客。力ਈ工加械机 沃州辛康斯威О极॥正՛Ҹ造铸卡٧沃，此֜。务服工 初。务服工加械机加增边յԴ工՚І、и、一আङ卡٧


38 | FOUNDRY-PLANET.COM | MODERN CASTING | CHINA FOUNDRY ASSOCIATION June 2016


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