buyCASTINGS.com Expands Distribution Channel

buyCASTINGS.com Inc. — a business-to-business (B2B) e-marketplace for buyers/designers, foundries, and metalcasting suppliers — reports that its manufacturing division, FOPAT Production Inc., has expanded its distribution channel by entering new agreements with Ransom & Randolph and Buntrock Industries Inc. Ransom & Randolph, Maumee, OH, manufactures ceramic shell and solid mold investment casting materials. Buntrock Industries, Williamsburg, VA, and in Portland, OR, supplies a wide variety of products and materials to investment casters. The two firms are now licensed to sell and distribute FOPAT’s custom-made foam patterns to investment casters. “Both distributors’ network and customer contacts will provide us with the market penetration needed to reach our full sales potential. FOPAT Production Inc. has considered many distribution partners and we are confident that Ransom & Randolph and Buntrock Industries will help us deploy this engineered product in the investment casting market,” stated buyCastings.com chief operating officer Neil Chaudhry. FOPAT is described as a dimensionally accurate, smooth-surface foam that will be offered as a replacement for wax in the lost-wax process. The supplier says the foam overcomes the shrinkage and handling problems associated with wax, and allows casting designers to execute complex shapes or thin sections. “FOPAT has been producing an advanced, dimensionally accurate, temperature-stable, energy-efficient, cost-effective, and smooth surface foam and the process to produce full scale patterns for the investment casting industry. The minimal pattern shrinkage produces stable patterns with minimal or no shell cracking defects, while stiffer patterns improve handling and avoiding creep issues typically present in wax. Patterns can also be shipped & stored without heat damage or distortion,” according to buyCastings president Bob Dzugan.