Issue link: http://www.insightdigital.biz/i/164142
At a Glance Waupaca Foundry Inc. Owner: KPS Capital President/CEO: Gary Gigante What it does: World's largest iron foundry company, producing both gray and ductile castings serving the automotive, commercial vehicle, agricultural, construction and industrial markets. » Employees: 3,670 workers at six facilities in three states. » Annual sales: Upwards of $1 billion » On the web: www.waupacafoundry.com back in the 1990s," Leonard says. "We are constantly looking at how to make what we do better." A good example is mold making, Gigante says. "No one makes molds like we do. We designed and built our own high-speed molding machines. They also are vertical, which sets us apart from the competition," he says. Sustainable growth F oundries and sustainability don't naturally go hand-inhand, but as Bryant Esch, the foundry's environmental coordinator, points out: "Foundries are the original recyclers; 94 percent of feedstock is someone else's junk," he says. Having access to raw materials is integral to the company's success. Every day at the Waupaca Plants 2 and 3, trucks carrying metal to be melted down arrive every 30 minutes or so. Workers use a giant furnace to turn that scrap metal into liquid metal, which is then poured into multiple machines, turning out a variety of products. Waupaca Foundry is a recognized leader in sustainability practices and received a commendation from the U.S. Department of Energy's Better Buildings, Better Plant Programs for its efforts to reduce the energy used in its manufacturing operations by 25 percent over 10 years. In 2011, the w w w. i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m foundry reduced its energy intensity by 6.3 percent, and it's down 16.5 percent since 2009. With the intense heat coming from the furnaces, the foundries have heat recovery systems in place to take the heat during the winter and circulate it throughout the entire facility. That not only helps conserve energy, but helps the foundry with its heating costs. "Long before sustainability was a buzzword with businesses, we were doing it," Gigante says. Foundries use a large amount of sand and water, and Waupaca Foundry has programs in place for both. The company's closed-loop cooling water systems reduced plant water cooling demands by more than 80 percent while daily water use was reduced by 225,000 gallons. As for sand, Esch says each grain is used about 50 times. "We are looking at some sand reclamation processes so we can even get more use out of our sand," he says. All that sand also creates dust, but the foundry uses a dust collection system that keeps the air clean, Esch says. "Waupaca Foundry sets the bar of the Swan Recreation Facility, which will also include an ice-skating rink in winter, added hiking trails, basketball courts and an amphitheater. The company is working with the city and local construction companies on the project, which is expected to be complete by May 2014. "Customers are very interested in our sustainability initiatives," Esch says. "Consumers are becoming more aware and that gets back to the manufacturers and then down to us, the suppliers." With adequate capital on hand and new owners in place, Gigante says Waupaca Foundry is now able to move ahead and see continued growth. "The demand right now exceeds capacity for foundries," he says. "That means there is room for us to grow." Newsome says some foundries were unable to weather the recession and closed, leaving those who survived with more opportunities now that manufacturing is picking up and in need of castings. The key to continued growth is making sure there is always enough supply on hand of both scrap metal and sand, says John Wiesbrock, vice president of Waupaca Foundry's supply high when it comes to sustainability," he says. "A lot of agencies look to us and what we're doing. We also recycle about 70 percent of waste products created in the parts making process and use it for things such as the base they use in highway projects." Those waste products from the plants in Waupaca are also being put to use in creating a new 42-foot-high sledding hill in Waupaca. The foundry donated 200,000 cubic yards of foundry byproducts to help in the construction chain management. "We are very justin-time for the supply of metal. We don't have room here to store a bunch. Trucks come in regularly with what we need," he says. "The supply chain is set up daily." As for sand – another key ingredient the foundry needs – a good supply is available in the region. "Our access to natural resources, along with the great work ethic make Wisconsin a great place to do business," Gigante says. S e p t e m b e r 2 013 • Insight | 29