This section is a compilation from various company press releases, business dailies, trade publications and Industry Websites.

October 201729

airfield Castings (Fairfield, Iowa) Fhas been bought and renamed Faircast Inc. The AFS Corporate Member Faircast received $855,000 from the Iowa Economic Development Authority.

The award included $600,000 in direct financial assistance as well as $255,000 in investment tax credits, which was granted through the High Quality Jobs program.

According to sources, The High Quality Jobs program “provides

Fairfield Castings Gets New Ownershipassistance to companies creating new jobs and investing in equipment or facilities in Iowa.” Faircast recently created 89 jobs at the foundry and plans to make a capital investment totaling $3.2 million.

“This award will help us catch up with maintenance items that have been neglected,” said Roger Vorhies, President of Faircast Inc., according to a news release. “As we focus on stabilizing the foundry, we also are setting our sights on growing the company back to its previous levels. This assistance will be essential to making that happen.”

“We are proud to support the Faircast Inc. foundry project in Fairfield,” said Debi Durham, director of the IEDA, according to a news release. “The board understands the importance of supporting local companies and giving them the tools they need to keep operations in the state. Keeping this foundry in Iowa so that it can continue to provide good jobs is important to Iowa’s economy.”

imura Foundry America is a Ksubsidiary of Japan - based Kimura Group. AFS Corporate Member Kimura Foundry America is planning to open an $8 million facility in Shelbyville, Indiana, by the end of next year. The project would add up to 35 jobs by 2020.

In 2014, Kimura opened a U.S. sales office in Schaumburg, Illinois. but this wlll be the company’s first U.S. production facility. The Shelbyville Kimura plant will be 5,200 sq.ft. and be constructed on 10 acres.

The factory will use 3-D printing equipment to produce castings and moldings for automotive and pump manufacturing clients.

Kimura Foundry to OpenIndiana Facility

albro LLC (Tucson, Arizona) Wannounced an expansion of its North American manufacturing operations with the opening of a new aluminum diecasting facility in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico.

The new facility, which is co-located with Walbro’s engine management plant in Los Mochis, will share management, supply chain and administrative services with the existing plant.

“I am pleased to announce Walbro’s latest investment in precision diecasting and the continued expansion of our North American production operations,” said Matthew Riddle, CEO, and Walbro. “Our team was able to take advantage of over 20 years of diecasting experience from our other locations to design and install a world-class die-casting facility in Mexico. This capability allows us to serve our existing North American customers with shorter lead times and a broader range of products, while opening the door for

Walbro Announces North American Expansion

opportunities to serve an expanded customer base.”

The plant will initially manufacture flywheels for small engines in the first two

installed die-casting centers. Plans are already in place to add six additional die-casting machines. The facility will employ between 60 and 70 additional workers at full capacity.

Walbro supplies engine management systems for the lawn and garden, recreational and marine, outdoor power equipment, and two-wheel small engine markets.

Walbro manufactures carburetors, fuel injection systems, ignition systems, pumps, valves and fuel storage and distribution systems.