This week’s episode of “WisBusiness: the Podcast” is with Sachin Shivaram, CEO of Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry.
The 114-year-old family-owned company melts scrap and other metals to make cast parts out of aluminum, iron and stainless steel. It has five plants in Manitowoc, where the company’s main operations are located, as well as a presence in Indiana and Minnesota.
“We provide a custom metal part for a company who wants to make whatever they make,” he said. “So whether it’s engines, or tractors, or cookware, medical equipment, satellites — anything that requires a custom shape.”
Looking ahead, Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry is making major investments in expanding its own operations, Shivaram said. The company last month announced plans to build a new foundry in Manitowoc.
“Quite simply, we’re putting a lot of capital to work,” he said. “This year, for instance, we’re investing 100% of our … pre-tax and pre-interest earnings back into the business, which is a lot. Normally, a company like ours may invest 5%, 10% into the business.”
Shivaram shares details on the state’s foundry industry, noting Wisconsin is the most foundry-intensive state in the country based on GDP and workforce involved in casting metals. He also provides insights on top trends in this space, including “nearshoring or onshoring” of manufacturing supply chains.
“That should directly benefit companies like ours, because we’ve always competed against foreign production, and now more of those opportunities are coming our way,” he said.
Listen to the podcast below:
