Waupaca Foundry Completes Merger

April 1, 2016—Waupaca Foundry, Inc. announces that the merger with Hitachi Metals Automotive Components USA, LLC is finalized as of April 1, 2016. Under the terms of the merger, Waupaca Foundry will assume the assets and liabilities of Hitachi Metals Automotive Components. The merger solidifies Waupaca Foundry’s vision to increase revenue and profitability while maintaining diversity across markets and sectors.

Waupaca Foundry produces gray iron, ductile iron, and austempered ductile iron castings. The company is North America’s leading supplier of casting components to the automotive, commercial vehicle, agriculture, construction, and industrial markets. The iron castings supplier employs more than 3,900 people at six manufacturing facilities, including three in Waupaca, Wisconsin and one each in Marinette, Wisconsin, Tell City, Indiana, and Etowah, Tennessee.

Hitachi Metals Automotive Components produces cast, machined and assembled ductile iron suspension and exhaust components for global automotive OEMs and employs 485 people across all locations. As a condition of the merger, the Hitachi Metals Automotive Components companies will do business as Waupaca Foundry. Its machine and assembly plants and foundry will operate as: Waupaca Foundry Effingham (Illinois); Waupaca Foundry Wellsboro (Pennsylvania); and Waupaca Foundry Lawrenceville (Pennsylvania).

The Lawrenceville ductile iron foundry and Effingham machining and assembly operations will continue to produce and market Hitachi Metals’ brand portfolio of high grade metals including HNM™ series high-strength ductile and HERCUNITE™ series of heat-resistant cast components. Combined with computer aided engineering and design expertise (CAE and CAD), Waupaca Foundry provides full-service solutions to our Tier 1 and OEM customers who continually need lighter weight and higher performance solutions to reduce CO2 emissions and increase fuel efficiency.

According to corporate leaders, these strategic changes will position Waupaca Foundry for continued growth and leadership in the metalcasting industry. Mike Nikolai, President and COO says, “Aligning our operations will provide customers the most cost-effective production while guaranteeing continued high-quality cast, machined and assembled components. This merger leverages the best of both organizations to deliver continued excellence for customers.”

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