The pour was a test of the systems in the facility to make sure they are functioning. It is the initial step before the ramping up of production begins

Gigante is retiring effective June 30 and will be replaced by current COO and president Mike Nikolai, who will effectively take over as CEO on July 1. Gigante has served as CEO since 2007 and began at the company as a metallurgist in 1981.

Spartan Light Metal Products, St. Louis, was recognized with an Excellent Quality Performance Award from Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Inc. (TEMA) at its Annual Supplier Business Meeting.

Grede, Southfield, Michigan, announced that its facility in New Castle, Indiana, has been given Ford Motor Company’s Q1 Award, which recognizes outstanding quality and performance. According to a news release, the Ford Q1 award means the facility has achieved excellence in “product quality, systems capabilities, materials management, logistics and delivery.”

Fall River Group, Fall River, Wisconsin, announced it will be constructing a 60,000 sq.-ft. addition to the Fall River Foundry facility in Fall River. The machining operations currently in Milwaukee will be in the addition.

Michael Beyer joins after serving as chief financial officer at Wolverine Advanced Materials.

Grede, Southfield, Michigan, an MPG Inc. company, has been recognized with a 2016 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year–Energy Management Award by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

IBC Advanced Alloys Corp., Wilmington, Massachusetts, has announced it’s been chosen as the exclusive supplier of Beralcast cast components for an unnamed global manufacturer of semiconductor and electronics assembly equipment.

Polich Tallix, Rock Tavern, New York, produced the Oscar statuettes for this year’s Academy Awards.

Diana Kastenbaum, the CEO of Pinnacle Manufacturing Company Inc., Batavia, New York, has announced she is running for Congress as a Democrat in New York’s 27th district.