Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry, Manitowoc, WI, has drawn an $11-million investment from a community development fund that will contribute to the foundry’s ongoing expansion project. Cinnaire, a Lansing, MI, funding group, is extending the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) investment, recognizing that WAF “prioritizes a people-first culture and is guided by their deep commitment to creating an environment which assists people in growing and contributing,” according to Peter Giles, Cinnaire’s SVP, Public Funding.
“The expansion of the foundry demonstrates how the NMTC program serves as a driving force creating jobs and building brighter futures through economic empowerment,” Giles said.
Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry uses green-sand, air-set, and permanent mold casting and low-pressure molding to pour a range of aluminum and copper-based alloys for automotive, agriculture and construction, commercial vehicles, defense, medical, and railroad manufacturing, among others.
In September 2022 WAF announced a $20-million project to add 55,000 square feet of production space, to expand its permanent-mold casting capacity, for both tilt/static and low-pressure pouring. The foundry also indicated plans to expand its air-set molding capabilities, and install new workcells for finishing cast parts.
According to Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry chief executive Sachin Shivaram, “We are adding equipment that will help us make larger castings, improve productivity in existing casting methods, replace old machinery, and include advances in technology like 3D printing.”
The project also involves plans to add 12,000 square feet of office and meeting space, which will be completed in October 2024.
The expansion program will create 80 new jobs, according to WAF’s initial announcement, and “accelerate (its) growth in key target markets such as electric vehicles, medical equipment, and consumer products.”
“We see how high-quality employment like what we offer can transform lives and we make extra effort to ensure that our jobs are accessible to anyone seeking employment,” Shivaram stated. “NMTCs will play a huge role in helping us continue to be the type of employer that our community has relied on: One that offers high-quality employment and goes the extra mile to help make these great jobs accessible to low-income individuals.”