ductile iron
   To Promote the production and application of ductile iron castings Issue 1, 2003   

 

News Briefs

MEETINGS

The June 2003 meeting will be held at The Woodlands Inn and Resort in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania on June 2-4, 2003.

There will be a Keith Millis Symposium on October 20-23, 2003 at the Crowne Plaza Resort in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.


BUSINESS

INTERMET Announces New Business Won in 2002

Continued expansion of customer roster in both North America and Europe

Troy, Mich., February 18, 2003 - INTERMET Corporation, one of the world's leading manufacturers of cast-metal automotive components, reported today that new business awarded in 2002 totaled $450 million over the life of the programs.  This is in addition to the previously announced $400 million in new programs awarded to INTERMET in 2001.  The new business will support automotive OE and Tier 1 manufacturers and is scheduled to launch throughout the next three years.

The new business includes cast-metal components manufactured for power train, chassis, brake and body/interior applications and will be sources both from the company's North American and European operations.  A number of programs begin production this year, including:

  • Ductile-iron rear knuckle for a major Japanese OEM.  Scheduled for launch in first quarter.

  • Aluminum steering knuckle for Dodge Durango.  Launching in July, contract is a significant addition to INTERMET's existing PCPCTM process steering-knuckle program.

  • Ductile-iron rear knuckle for Mercedes-Benz C-Class.  January launch at INTERMET's Ueckermünde, Germany, foundry.

  • Twelve aluminum housing and electronic enclosure programs for Motorola, including eight launched in late 2002.  For use on North American-built European vehicle platforms.

"We are pleased that new customers have recognized the value we are creating technology and manufacturing efficiency and that existing customers continue to see the enhanced casting solutions we provide," said Terry Graessle, INTERMET's Vice President of Sales and Marketing.  "Progress was made last year in our revenue and customer diversification initiatives.  Most notably, a larger portion of the new sales is coming from New American Manufacturers who continue to increase the North American content of their vehicles assembled here.  Also, in Europe we are diversifying our product base into automotive structural and safety components."  Graessle continued, "Our 2003 revenue projection for INTERMET is for modest growth compared with last year in a softening market.  However, we expect to be in a more substantial sales growth mode beginning in 2004 when many more new programs come on stream.  This new business is a clear indication that INTERMET's global strategy of leveraging our substantial technological resources with our diverse material and manufacturing process capabilities is working."


Foseco and MAGMA form a Strategic Alliance

(Cleveland, Ohio, March 20, 2003) Foseco International of Tamworth, England and MAGMA of Aachen, Germany have entered into a global strategic alliance to act as 'Preferred Partners' in combining their respective strengths and expertise in the development of new and innovative engineering tools for the foundry industry. 

In the first phase of this alliance MAGMA will provide Foseco with a proprietary suite of casting simulation software. This will be followed by further co-operation in areas of technology development, training and programmes to support growth of the global foundry industry.

Roland Johnson, Foseco's Director of Marketing and Technology, stated, "During our discus-sions, Foseco and MAGMA recognized that, when offered separately, our products and services meet a wide spread of client requirements. However, in many cases, we realized that closely coordinated efforts would provide an opportunity to create the most effective overall solution for our customers. We are excited by the prospects for this alliance between two market leaders."

Dr. Erwin Flender, MAGMA's Managing Director added, "This partnership enables both Foseco and MAGMA to offer better and more cost-effective solutions to our customers more quickly. Through our cooperation a new level of quality will be attained especially in the optimization of gating and risering layouts. Greater understanding and improved control of the casting process will lead to more competitive cast parts. I am sure that our common customers will benefit from the alliance, as well as Foseco and MAGMA - all of us will enjoy the success of this partnership."

With headquarters for the Americas region in Cleveland, Ohio, Foseco Metallurgical Inc. is a leading manufacturer and provider of proprietary consumable products to the global foundry industry, operating in over 100 countries around the world. Dedicated to helping customers improve their operations and businesses with innovative products and services, Foseco develops and commercializes the best ideas from customers, employees and its research labs to help customers reach the highest level of performance. Foseco is committed to continuous improvement and Total Quality as a way of doing business.

For further information, please contact:

Matt deHeus  Dr.-Ing. Erwin Flender
Intern'l Business Dev. Manager  Managing Director
Foseco Foundry International  MAGMA 
P.O. Box 5516 Gießereitechnologie GmbH
Tamworth  Kackertstraße 11
Staffordshire D-52072 Aachen 
England  Germany
B78 3XQ 
Tel: +44 (0)1827 252501 Tel: +49 241/88901 0

Information for Editors
Foseco International is a global supplier of consumable process aids and technical services to the foundry industry. With operations in all major industrial markets, its employees have comprehensive expertise in foundry practice and deep relationships within this industry. Foseco's reputation as a market leader is built on an ability to create value for its customers through improved foundry practice and innovative application of its broad consumables product range.

MAGMA is a global supplier of foundry software technology and engineering services. Its competence in casting process design and optimisation has helped foundry customers across Europe, the Americas and Asia increase the functionality and quality of their castings while improving the productivity and reliability of their casting processes.


INTERMET Again Wins Casting-of-Year Honors

Troy, Mich., May 1, 2003 - INTERMET Corporation, one of the world's leading manufacturers of cast-metal automotive components, announced today that it has won a prestigious casting contest hosted by the American Foundry Society (AFS), the second year in a row for such honors.

An austempered-ductile-iron (ADI) rear control arm that is manufactured for the Ford Mustang Cobra by INTERMET's Decatur Foundry, located in Decatur, Illinois, has been selected as one of just 16 awards presented by AFS along with Engineered Casting Solutions magazine.


PEOPLE

Annie Karim, Marketing Administrator with Foseco NorAm in Cleveland has been selected as the AFS Foundry Person of the Year for the Northeast Ohio Chapter of the American Foundry Society. Annie is only the second woman to receive the prestigious award. (The first was Jean Boyer, also from Foseco, when the award was still called "Foundryman of the Year").

The award from the local AFS chapter recognizes Annie's professional contributions to one of the largest foundry chapters in the country over a seven-year period.

Annie started with Foseco in November of 1992, working 1/2 day for Production Control and 1/2 day for Purchasing. She moved to Marketing in 1996 and became a member of AFS that same year. She has been a Director of the local chapter since 1998.

Photo Caption: Annie Karim, Northeast Ohio AFS Foundryperson of the year shown accepting the award from Brian Alquist, a National Director of AFS and Marketing Manager, Feedings Systems and Steel Filtration, for Foseco Metallurgical Inc.


INTERMET Vice President of Technical Services Thomas Prucha Receives 2003 Industry Award for Scientific Merit

Troy, Mich., April 30, 2003 - Citing his leadership on engineering and manufacturing technology initiatives in the cast-metal industries, Thomas E. Prucha, INTERMET's Vice President of Technical Services, was honored by the American Foundry Society (AFS) with the 2003 Award for Scientific Merit at its annual Congress and exposition in Kansas City.

The award was presented on April 29, 2003, at the AFS Casting Congress President's Luncheon and Annual Business Meeting.

Prucha was recognized by AFS "for extensive contribution to process development, metal properties, computer-aided engineering and non-destructive evaluation for aluminum and iron castings."


Back to top

 

View 
Ductile Iron Related 
Publications

Located in Strongsville, Ohio, USA
15400 Pearl Road, Suite 234; Strongsville,Ohio  44136
   Billing Address: 2802 Fisher Road, Columbus, Ohio 43204

Phone (440) 665-3686; Fax (440) 878-0070
email:jwood@ductile.org