a lot of interruption in production. In the meantime, we’ve seen our sales and profitability increase.” With such a dedication to improv- ing the Minneapolis site, CPP’s execu- tive team expects the 200,000-sq.-ft. operation to show that such financial investments are warranted and well executed. Te day-to-day metalcast- ing processes are managed by onsite personnel, but the parent company remains focused on looking farther down the road. “We are held to strict budgets, with
forecasting driving the financial deci- sions and long-term planning,” Potter said. “Te corporate executive team may not always be here physically, but they have a huge presence and are always aware of what we’re doing.” With 75% of its business directed
toward commercial aerospace—the remaining 25% is military contracts— CPP-Minneapolis has experienced substantial growth in the wake of last
decade’s recession. While the defense industry remains more volatile, CPP- Minneapolis has been able to offset any fluctuations in military spending by expanding into the European aero- space market over the past five years. Because of this steady growth,
company executives are confident annual sales will top $100 million in the next three to four years, which would double the facility’s sales when it was acquired by CPP.
Taking a Central Role While CPP-Minneapolis has
experienced a resurgence since its acquisition, the facility’s role within its family of companies has evolved over the past decade. CPP has 19 locations: its Cleveland-based corporate head- quarters, six facilities in its perma- nent mold/sand casting division, 10 investment casting facilities and two processesing centers. Te Minneapolis site, producing castings up to 2,500
lbs., is the largest facility with 525 employees, 460 of which are hourly. Because of size, capabilities and engi- neering expertise, CPP-Minneapolis has grown into the corporation’s flagship operation as a whole. “We share knowledge, we pool
purchasing power and we share resources as much as we possibly can,” said Mark Schneider, process engineer. “We provide a lot of engi- neering support to smaller facilities who may not have our resources. It’s not uncommon to have other CPP employees come here to shadow our employees, while we also send indi- viduals out to other facilities.” By purchasing nearby Watkins
Pattern Co., CPP allowed the Min- neapolis operation to position itself as a one-stop shop for customers by producing patterns, cores and tooling onsite. Te metalcaster can reduce certain complications by having such capabilities on one site.
26 | MODERN CASTING September 2015 The largest of CPP’s 19 sites, the 200,000-sq.-ft. casting facility in Minneapolis pours large, complex components for defense and aerospace industries.
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