Metalcasting Marketing

AFS Marketing has three distinct focuses:

  1. Empowering suppliers and foundries to market their products and services to customers.
  2. Marketing metal castings and the metalcasting process to current and potential users of metal castings. This includes design and product engineers and purchasers.
  3. Marketing AFS to the industry. 

Empowering Suppliers and Foundries

Contact Ben Yates in AFS Business Development and Marketing to get started with AFS empowering your company to market your products and services to customers.

Metalcasting Industry Marketing

Metalcasting marketing is a joint effort of AFS staff and the AFS Marketing Division. The mission is:

“To enhance the growth and image of the North American metalcasting industry through market development and promotion of the metalcasting processes, as well as communicating to member companies relevant information in the areas of marketing.”

AFS and the Division aim to promote metalcasting to three essential audiences:

  • Current and potential users of metal castings, such as design and product engineers and the purchasers of castings.
  • Engineering faculty and students, introducing them to the basic principles of metalcasting.
  • Federal, state and local legislators and government agencies who need to better understand the benefits of cast components.

The marketing program includes tools for communicating with our target audiences:

  • Printed brochures.
  • Electronic information and data through Modern Casting.
  • Trade show exhibits.
  • Primary market research.
  • Placement of articles in strategic publications and assisting other media on industry issues/trends.
  • Support of Casting Source, the AFS publication that reaches out to engineers and purchasing agents.
  • Sponsorship and coordination of the annual AFS Marketing Division/Casting Source Competition.
  • Social media posts.
  • Melting Point, an outreach website and publication geared toward teachers and students.

AFS Corporate Members have access to the AFS market research data available only to members. Contact Katelyn Stanek, kstanek@afsinc.org, for more information.

AFS Marketing

AFS Marketing promotes the significant benefits of AFS membership and services to the appropriate targeted audiences. AFS Marketing coordinates the flow of information for programs, products, and services to ensure AFS is positioned as the leading resource for the metalcasting industry.

Marketing is responsible for:

AFS Marketing is available to counsel and support AFS Chapters about promoting regional meetings and other communication needs. For information, contact Katelyn Stanek at kstanek@afsinc.org.

Casting Design & Sourcing

AFS offers casting buyers these services for metalcasting designers and buyers.

  • Design Solutions - Through a relationship with Product Development & Analysis, a design engineering and sourcing firm with more than 20 years of experience in metalcasting, AFS offers casting buyers and AFS Corporate Members a true benefit: access to casting design consultation and execution and casting sourcing.
  • Design information - AFS offers casting buyers and designers information showing the real value and the capabilities of metalcasting.
  • Industry research & statistics.

In addition to industry marketing and communication efforts, the Division also has the responsibility for developing baseline data for and about the industry. Among the chief services derived from these efforts are:

Metalcasting Forecast & Trends

Annually, AFS develops the Metalcasting Forecast & Trends Report. The report provides essential statistical data about the domestic and global industry. A copy is sent to all AFS Corporate Members. Non-members may purchase the report for $1,000 by clicking here. Individual members receive a 25% discount. 

Websites 101: Tips for Foundries and Die Casters

Download the website to-do checklist by clicking here. (Presented by TruInsights Consulting)

How to Write a Press Release That Gets Results

Click here to see how your company can write a press release for effective marketing. (Source U.S. Small Business Administration)

Castings. Wherever You Are.

Spread the positive message of metalcasting by downloading free images for your social media channels. Then, share these images to showcase how castings are fundamental to our everyday lives. Explore the entire collection of "Castings. Wherever You Are." images by clicking here.

Jack F. Steele Excellence in Marketing Award

The Jack F. Steele Excellence in Marketing Award was endowed by Grede Foundries in 2001 to honor the late Jack Steele, one of the foundry industry’s true marketing pioneers. This annual award honors those who capture the spirit and unbridled enthusiasm of Mr. Steele’s vision of casting marketing. The purpose of the award is to recognize a company or group for its achievements in promoting its business and the metalcasting industry through an outstanding marketing message (advertising, public relations, design, interactive communications, etc.). This award encourages the advancements of marketing expertise and professionalism for assisting the industry to reach out to the community.