Insight on Business

w w w . i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m F e b r u a r y 2 0 2 1 • I NSIGH T | 25 w w w . i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m F e b r u a r y 2 0 2 1 • I NSIGH T | 25 PANDEMONIUM S hivaram was less than a year into his tenure when the pandemic began to unfold. He and his leadership team began assessing the situation in February, and Shivaram saw it as a shock to the economy but assumed it would resolve quickly, a hope that began to fade in March. "e pace of learning was so fast, that you'd think, 'Oh, did I think that a week ago? How idiotic of me?'" he says. WAF, whose primary business is its foundry but which also has a cookware division and a machine shop, was lucky in that it was in a strong financial position at the beginning of the pandemic. Still, it began taking proactive steps to secure its footing, including drawing down on credit lines to bring more cash into the company. e manufacturer's board wanted to focus on taking care of WAF's employees. e company boasts an average tenure of 22 years, and foundry work "is like an art," Shivaram says. If WAF lost people, it risked not being able to bring them back. e foundry kept everyone on the payroll, but sales crashed. In April, it saw more cancellations than orders and didn't need about 60 percent of its workers. Under normal circumstances, that would lead to layoffs, but WAF retained everyone and had them stay home. It also maintained 100 percent of health care benefits — where usually it would pay 80 percent of premiums — and provided a 25 percent premium ENCOURAGING INCLUSION Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry CEO Sachin Shivaram's parents moved to the United States from India in 1972, eventually settling in the Milwaukee suburb of Glendale. The greater Milwaukee area was home to a large Indian population, including many who spoke the same language Shivaram's family did, and he relished growing up in that large community that shared his heritage. Northeast Wisconsin is home to a far smaller population of people from India, and Shivaram has made it a priority to educate the community about Indian culture. He serves as a leader for nonprofit organization IndUS of Fox Valley, which is dedicated to education efforts and strengthening ties between the people of Northeast Wisconsin and the Indian community. It holds an annual banquet that's open to the public and does outreach in schools. Shivaram, who's experienced displays of ignorance and bigotry about his culture, says it's important to keep up the work of diversity and inclusion. To learn more about IndUS, visit indusfoxvalley.org. [ c o n t i n u e d ] » Top, the melting point for aluminum is approximately 1,221 degrees Fahrenheit. WAF has added a machine that automatically pours aluminum into a mold in precise amounts, a job that was dangerous for workers. Right, sand casting is one of the capabilities WAF offers.

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