Manufacturing Today Issue - 225 June 2024 | Page 82

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Masters of machining

Discover hidden gem CastAlum ’ s journey as it prepares for ever-increasing demand

With a vision to maximize stakeholder value , CastAlum Ltd strives to be the global supplier of choice for cast aluminum and machined components . Serving as an acclaimed aluminum die casting and machining center in mid Wales , UK , CastAlum takes pride in its capabilities , reliability , and international supply network . Karl Meredith , Managing Director , sheds light on the company ’ s history .

“ CastAlum was formed in 2000 as a subsidiary of Contech , a US operation owned by SPX Corporation ,” he begins . “ Marking SPX ’ s first foray into Europe , CastAlum began constructing its first facility that same year . By 2001 , we had already started casting , even though the building wasn ’ t completed . The following year represented our first full year of production , as we focused on servicing one customer from America . In 2009 , there was a recession in the automative industry , prompting Contech to file for Chapter 11 . In response , CastAlum ’ s directors in the UK decided to buy the company and become independent , with the support of external investors . This led to several years of significant investments in the business , beginning with the establishment of a machine shop alongside diecasting operations ,” he adds .
Karl shares more insights into the series of events and investments propelling CastAlum ’ s growth in the industry . “ In 2018 , one of the original major investors bought out the entire company , a major milestone that coincided with my appointment as Managing Director . During this time , we experienced important hurdles primarily due to the uncertainty surrounding Brexit , which made it harder to secure new orders as we were unable to answer questions about changes in taxation and other factors . Since our projects have long lead times , with quoting starting years before
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