INDUSTRY NEWS Grant Proposal Includes Funds for Virginia Metalcasting Facility Newport News, Virginia, is report-
edly considering granting $46 million to assist Newport News Shipbuilding, with portions of the money going to its metalcasting facility. According to a report in the Newport
Newport News Shipbuilding might get $46 million from Newport News, which would partially go toward a metalcasting facility.
News Daily Press, one potential grant of $6 million would help the shipbuilder pay for $43 million in investments to- ward its metalcasting facility. Te report said the U.S. Navy wants the shipbuild- er to add that investment to the $30 million spent over the last 10 years and another $50 million already planned. Te additional $43 million will en- able the facility to produce castings up to the Navy’s increased standards.
Keokuk Steel Castings Expected to Reopen After Purchase
Te Mills Group, Earlville, Iowa, announced it has reached a tentative agreement with Matrix Metals-San- mar Group, Chennai, India, to pur- chase Keokuk Steel Castings (KSC) and reopen the Iowa facility. KSC sent its last casting March 31 but the Mills Group is looking to restart operations later this year. “Our first objective is to get the
(facility) back up and running and reach out to the KSC customers,” Brad Mills, owner, Mills Group, said in a news release. “A little further down the road, we have ad- ditional plans for Keokuk. We see the possibility of utilizing Keokuk as an expansion option for our other companies. We also see growing this location through additional acquisi- tions as we have done in Earlville.” Te Mills Group owns four Iowa
companies involved in the steel manu- facturing of livestock handling equip- ment. Brad and Annie Mills, who own Mills Group, live in nearby Houghton. “As long time local residents, we’re
excited to start a second campus a little closer to home,” Annie Mills said. According to a release, the Mills
Group met with area officials and came away with a positive outlook. “We are very impressed with what we have found as to the skills, talent and
Shuttered since March, Keokuk Steel Castings is expected to reopen later this year.
dedication of the employees and man- agement at KSC,” Mills said. “We look forward to working
together to uncover the many opportuni- ties ahead of us.” The group met with Lee County
Economic Development Group (LCEDG), Iowa Economic Devel- opment Authority, Lee County Su- pervisors, City of Keokuk officials, Keokuk Economic Development Corporation, as well as local and regional financial institutions. “We are so pleased that Keokuk Steel
Castings’ proud history of almost 80 years–and its impact on the Tri-State region can be further extended by this exciting new development,” Steve Bise-
nius, executive director, LCEDG, said in a news release. “We welcome Brad and Annie Mills and their team with Mills Group, and we look forward to helping them every way we can as they build up their new plant.” Brad Mills echoed that. “We are very pleased how hard
all of the officials in Keokuk have worked together to help make this come together and how warmly we were welcomed to the community,” Mills said. “We also want to extend our special thanks to Mr. B. Natraj and his good people at Matrix Metals-Sanmar Group, for all of their effort to help make this transaction possible.”
July 2016 MODERN CASTING | 9
Photo courtesy of Brad Mills.
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