Ladish to build foundry in Mexico

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 12, 2007, 9:03 a.m.

By Avrum D. Lank

Ladish Co. (LDSH), Cudahy, said it plans to build an investment casting foundry in Mexico. It will produce titanium components for the company's aerospace customers.

The company is not sure exactly where in Mexico the 55,000- to 65,000-square-foot foundry will be built.

"Mexico has the industrial infrastructure to support aerospace," said Kerry L. Woody, president and chief executive officer. "Different states in Mexico offer different advantages and opportunities, so there are details that enter into negotiations before final commitments can be made."

Woody said the expansion is needed because of the nearly $600 million order backlog for the company's aerospace components.

Randy Turner, president of Pacific Cast Technologies, Ladish's investment casting operation in Albany, Ore., said "our previously announced factory expansion in Albany will fully utilize the space available for adding capacities.

However, customer demand points to the need for even more capacity." Woody said he expects a second North American titanium investment casting facility will have a positive impact on the company's established casting operation.

"Since we acquired a second forge shop in Poland in 2005, employment in our Wisconsin forging operation has grown 10%. We anticipate an even stronger trend will be triggered at PCT by opening a second investment-casting operation," Woody said.