As a preliminary step toward joint ownership of Wheland Foundry L.L.C., Metal Technologies Inc. has reached a strategic alliance with the Warrenton, GA, operation to supply management and marketing services.

MTI, Auburn, IN, has six metalcasting operations in West Allis, WI, Ravenna and Three Rivers, MI, Woodstock, ON, and Kitzingen, Germany. It has an existing strategic alliance with Mexican foundry Cimetech.

Wheland Foundry is a gray-iron producer in northeast Georgia that supplies automotive customers. It was acquired by Livingston Co. in 2003, and that Chatanooga investment firm has invested modernization and expansion of the facility.

MTI chairman and CEO Rick James said the alliance with Wheland is part of a long-term strategy. "We will immediately got to the market to represent the Warrenton foundry’s capacity to our customer base. We will combine MTI’s expertise in foundry operations with the excellent group of employees and manufacturing assets that are currentl at the facility and we have every reason to expect rapid growth in sales."

MTI has assumed all responsibility for plant operations and marketing. Doyle Folds has been named plant manager and former general manager Jim Faxson has been retained as a technical consultant. MTI’s business-development staff will represent the foundry.