Hüttenes-Albertus Purchases Hexion’s Interest in HA-International

Hexion Inc., Columbus, and Hüttenes-Albertus Chemische Werke GmbH, Dusseldorf, Germany, announced that Hexion has sold its 50% interest in HA-International LLC, a joint venture serving the North American metalcasting industry, to its joint venture partner HA-USA Inc., an entity controlled by HA…

Tentative Agreement Reached to Purchase Keokuk Steel Castings

The Mills Group, Earlville, Iowa, announced it has reached a tentative agreement with Matrix Metals-Sanmar Group, Chennai, India, to purchase Keokuk Steel Castings (KSC) and reopen the Iowa facility.

KSC sent its last casting March 31 but the Mills Group is looking to restart production…

Metalcasting Roadmap Identifies Industry R&D Needs

The American Metalcasting Consortium (AMC) has finalized its release of the 2016 Metalcasting Industry Roadmap. The project culminates a two-year industry collaboration to identify future research and development needs to accelerate the growth of advanced manufacturing in the U.S. AFS served as…

OSHA Issues Active Regulatory Agenda

OSHA published its spring semiannual regulatory agenda. It provides a list of all regulatory actions that are under active consideration by the agency.  

Regulations of particular interest to metalcasters include:

Final rule on preventing slips, trips and falls which is…

Final Rules on Employer Wellness Programs Issued by EEOC

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued final rules on employer-sponsored wellness programs in May.  The rules clarify the commission’s position on wellness plan compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Title II of the Genetic Information…

Hayes Announces Retirement from CISA

Roger Hayes has announced his retirement as executive director of the Casting Industry Suppliers Association (CISA), Goodyear, Arizona. Hayes became CISA’s president in 1999 and was named executive director in 2002.

Marlene Hayes also announced her retirement as executive assistant at CISA…

Sen. Pat Toomey and Reps. Bob Gibbs and Bill Huizenga Receive Metalcasting Eagle Awards at Government Affairs Conference

The American Foundry Society (AFS) presented Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA), and Reps. Bob Gibbs (R-OH) and Bill Huizenga (R-MI) with the Metalcasting Industry Eagle Award during the industry’s Government Affairs Conference in Washington, D.C. This award is presented annually to lawmakers who support…

U.S. Labor Department Issues Final Rule on Overtime

Under a final rule published by the U.S. Department of Labor on May 23, the minimum salary threshold for employees to be considered overtime "exempt" under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) will double beginning December 1, 2016.

Currently, workers earning more than $23,660 per year are…

Magna Announces Aluminum Casting Facility in United Kingdom

Magna International Inc., Aurora, Ontario, Canada, announced it will build a new aluminum casting facility in Telford, United Kingdom. The plant will be approximately 225,000 sq. ft. and create up to 295 jobs when at full capacity.

According to a news release, the facility will support…

Metalcasting Represented at 2016 RAPID Conference

AFS exhibited at the Society of Manufacturing Engineers’ (SME) RAPID conference in Orlando, Florida, May 17-19. AFS represented the metalcasting industry to the more than 3,000 attendees who came to the event to network and learn more about rapid manufacturing including 3-D printing, 3-D…