The existing D&L facility is an all green sand operation, which was replicated in the new plant onsite (below).


bought 100 castings were now buy- ing three.”


D&L pours gray iron castings


such as manhole frames and covers, inlet frames and grates, monument rings and covers, valve boxes, tree grates, and airport frames and cov- ers. Ductile iron represents about 10% of its casting volume. It also offers fabrication for steel construc- tion items. With municipal customers


wait out the downturn and emerge well positioned to ramp up a new operation in step with demand. A relative newcomer in the U.S.


metalcasting industry, D&L poured its first casting in 1991. “We had a pretty good run for 15 years,” said Jason McGowan, president. “We couldn’t make enough. Each year, we


22 | MODERN CASTING February 2015


were trying to scratch out whatever capacity we could, making improve- ments, constantly trying to grow. So, it was a big eye opener in 2008 [at the beginning of the recession] when we had to put the brakes on. None of us had any experience with that. I don’t feel like we lost any market share, but people who


requiring “Made in America” brand- ing on their products, offshoring is less of a concern than it is for other metalcasters. The company’s ability to provide quality product quickly also is a strong point. In some markets, McGowan notes India cur- rently presents the greatest compe- tition in terms of pricing pressure. But with much of the company’s work increasing to supply domestic infrastructure improvement projects, until the Great Recession hit, man- agement was planning to expand. “There were several of us looking


for new sites near some of our other markets and considering whether to


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