Premier Tool & Die to Restart Vacant Plant

One Michigan diecaster has plans to acquire the shuttered plant of another, according to local news reports. Premier Tool & Die Cast Corp. of Berrien Springs, MI, is buying the 110,000-ft ² plant in Dowagiac, MI, left vacant by IGC Die Castings in late 2008. Premier Tool & Die Cast manufacturers high-pressure aluminum and zinc diecastings on 29 machines at its plant in Berrien Springs, where it also has CNC machining and numerous finishing capabilities for its products. It supplies customers in the automotive, electronics, defense, and other industries. The company reportedly will invest $3.2 million to install a new diecasting line for zinc and aluminum at the Dowagiac site, and may have as many as 100 workers employed there in the next 18 months. Last year Premier located a machine shop nearby, employing 75. Dowagiac city manager Kevin Anderson said the city, Cass County, the Michigan Economic Development Corp., the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Premier Tool & Die Cast agreed on a plan for the plant to be acquired for the value of the taxes due on the property, reportedly about $186,000. Also, environmental remediation of the site will be funded by state grants totaling $660,000 plus $150,000 provided by Premier. Premier Tool & Die Cast Corp. CEO Paul Brancaleon said the environmental work could begin in the coming weeks, to be followed by other improvements and remodeling.