Join us on the New Manufacturing Insights podcast as they welcome Waupaca Foundry's Corporate Sustainability Manager, Bryant Esch to discuss three decades of green innovation at Waupaca Foundry. Recognized by the American Foundry Society as "the leading voice for green manufacturing," Bryant shares his valuable insights and experiences, offering lessons that extend beyond the foundry industry.
Soon, import tariffs of more than 200% would be levied on those Chinese trailers, which are used to haul ocean-cargo containers on American highways. Sales would swing back to the U.S. manufacturers, supporting thousands of jobs in Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Alabama and Texas.
Metalcasting, one of the oldest industrial processes known to humanity, has traditionally been synonymous with recycling. For centuries, foundries have transformed old metal scraps into new products, embodying a form of environmental sustainability. While this is a foundation to a claim that a well-run foundry is an environmentally sustainable business, what other opportunities define a foundry’s success in achieving benchmark environmental performance? In today’s rapidly changing landscape, what does sustainability truly mean for foundries, and how can they stay ahead of evolving standards?
A lot can change in 50 years. And Hes Menadue has seen it all. From sand depositing improvements to molding processes, Hes has been part of Waupaca Foundry’s growth into the iron casting juggernaut it is today. His 50-year career with Waupaca Foundry is as storied as the Foundry itself. It all began in 1974…
In December, Waupaca Foundry owner Proterial, Ltd. announced the foundry would be sold to Monomoy Capital Partners at the beginning of 2024. (Proterial is the former Hitachi Metals, rebranded when Bain Consortium purchased Hitachi Metals in 2023.) Waupaca Foundry is a leading supplier of cast and machined iron castings and a key employer in Northeast Wisconsin as well as Michigan and Indiana, with about 4,000 people working across five foundry and machining operations. Under new ownership, the foundry will continue to operate with its current team led by President, CEO and COO Mike Nikolai. In February, Nikolai spoke with IOM about what’s coming for the firm under new ownership and how the company is looking to the future.
Sustainability in the business sense, Kananen said, “is the pursuit of a business’s growth strategy that creates long-term stakeholder value by seizing opportunities and managing risks related to the company’s environmental and social impacts.”
When Waupaca Foundry, a large iron works company with operations in several states, announced the closure of its plant in Etowah, Tennessee, in April 2022 and shed 86% of its workforce, Brad Moses was one of those who lost their jobs. An environmental, health and safety manager at the foundry, he had given 24 years of his life to the company, raising his family in the county. It was tough for the 52-year-old, who has a wife and seven kids. “At first, you’re concerned about the security for your family, and you know you’ll miss the relationships that you’ve built over the years.”
The capital project required months of meticulous planning from internal engineering teams to reduce downtime, enhance production efficiency, and improve worker safety and health. Jarrod Osborn, vice president of manufacturing engineering for Waupaca Foundry, emphasized the importance of preparation and planning in anticipation of the project. This was particularly crucial due to the extensive scope of work involved, especially within the defined shutdown and installation window.
In the past five years the Better Plants program has offered annual awards for significant energy-saving projects and best practices. Termed the “Better Project and Better Practice Awards,” this initiative recognizes partners for implementing projects save large amounts of energy as well as for implementing best practices and managerial improvements that facilitate the partners’ ability to reach their sustainability goals. Partners having significant energy-saving projects receive a “Better Project” award and partners that demonstrate important best practices are awarded “Better Practice” awards
