2025 Foundry Management & Technology Outlook Survey

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* 1. What is the principal metal that you cast? (Check only one)

Aluminum

Brass/Bronze

Ductile Iron

Gray Iron

Steel

None/Industry Supplier

Other (please specify)

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* 2. How many employees work in your metalcasting operation?

Under 20

20 to 49

50 to 99

100 to 249

250 and over

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* 3. How will your 2024 casting shipments (tonnage) compare with 2023 shipments?

Stay the same

Increase

Decrease

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* 4. Briefly explain what has been the primary reason for this 2024 outcome.

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* 5. If you selected "increase" for Q3, by what percentage (estimate)?

0-10%

11-25%

26-50%

51-75%

76-90%

over 90%

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* 6. If you selected "decrease" for Q3, by what percentage (estimate)?

0-10%

11-25%

26-50%

51-75%

76-90%

over 90%

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* 7. How do you expect your 2025 casting shipments (tonnage) to compare with 2024 shipments?

Stay the same

Increase

Decrease

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* 8. Briefly explain why you expect this 2025 outcome.

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* 9. If you selected "increase" for Q7, by what percentage (estimate)?

0-10%

11-25%

26-50%

51-75%

76-90%

over 90%

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* 10. If you selected "decrease" for Q7, by what percentage (estimate)?

0-10%

11-25%

26-50%

51-75%

76-90%

over 90%

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* 11. How do you estimate your business’s 2025 capital expenditures will compare to 2024 capital expenditures?

Stay the same

Increase

Decrease

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* 12. If you selected "increase" for Q11, by what percentage (estimate)?

0-10%

11-25%

26-50%

51-75%

76-90%

over 90%

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* 13. If you selected "decrease" for Q11, by what percentage (estimate)?

0-10%

11-25%

26-50%

51-75%

76-90%

over 90%

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* 14. What types of capital expenditures are you planning in 2025? (Check all that apply)

New Plant

New Equipment

Expansion/Addition to existing plant

None

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* 15. Please estimate your total planned capital expenditures for 2025.

Less than $100,000

$101,000 to $250,000

$251,000 to $500,000

$501,000 to $1 million

$1 million to $5 million

More than $5 million

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* 16. What are your borrowing plans for 2025?

Increase debt

Retire debt

Stay about the same

Not currently carrying any debt

Seeking new equity investment

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* 17. Did you purchase any of the following types of equipment during 2024? (Check all that apply)

Air compressors

Automatic pouring system

Blast cleaning equipment

Continuous mixers

Conveyors

Coremaking machines

Cranes/hoists

Cutoff equipment

Design software/hardware

Diecasting machines

Grinding equipment

Heat treating equipment

Investment casting system

Lab equipment

Lift trucks or loaders

Lost foam system

Machine tools

Melting equipment

Molding machines

Permanent mold system

Pollution controls

Power control equipment/systems

Process computers

Rapid prototyping equipment

Robots/manipulators

Sand Prep equipment

Sand reclamation equipment

Shakeout/punchout equipment

Simulation software

Testing/inspection equipment

Other (please specify)

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* 18. Do you plan to purchase any of the following types of equipment in 2025? (Check all that apply)

Air compressors

Automatic pouring system

Blast cleaning equipment

Continuous mixers

Conveyors

Coremaking machines

Cranes/hoists

Cutoff equipment

Design software/hardware

Diecasting machines

Grinding equipment

Heat treating equipment

Investment casting system

Lab equipment

Lift trucks or loaders

Lost foam system

Machine tools

Melting equipment

Molding machines

Permanent mold system

Pollution controls

Power control equipment/systems

Process computers

Rapid prototyping equipment

Robots/manipulators

Sand Prep equipment

Sand reclamation equipment

Shakeout/punchout equipment

Simulation software

Testing/inspection equipment

Other (please specify)

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* 19. Indicate which of the following issues have been significant problems for your operation during 2024: (Check all that apply)

Availability of Capital

Energy Costs

Energy Shortages

EPA Requirements

Human Resources

Imported Castings

Interest Rates

Labor Costs

Labor Shortage

Lack of Orders

Material Shortages

Medical/Insurance Costs

On-Time Delivery of Castings

OSHA Requirements

Plant Management

Plant Operations

Product Liability

Product Marketing/Sales

Quality of Castings

Raw Materials Cost

Skills Shortage

Supply Chain Disruptions

Tariffs

Training

Workers' Compensation Costs

Other (please specify)

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* 20. Please briefly describe why these issues have been significant at your operation.

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* 21. Indicate which of the following issues are likely to present significant problems for your operation during 2025: (Check all that apply)

Availability of Capital

Energy Costs

Energy Shortages

EPA Requirements

Human Resources

Imported Castings

Interest Rates

Labor Costs

Labor Shortage

Lack of Orders

Material Shortages

Medical/Insurance Costs

On-Time Delivery of Castings

OSHA Requirements

Plant Management

Plant Operations

Product Liability

Product Marketing/Sales

Quality of Castings

Raw Materials Cost

Skills Shortage

Supply Chain Disruptions

Tariffs

Training

Workers' Compensation Costs

Other (please specify)

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* 22. Please briefly describe why these issues may be significant at your operation.

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* 23. How are imported castings affecting your business?

No effect

Imported castings remain a competitive factor

Tariffs have impacted our customers’ demand for castings

Imported castings are becoming less of a competitive factor

We’re developing our own export business

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* 24. Please explain in detail your response to Q23.

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* 25. Have you gained new orders from reshored manufacturing programs?

Yes

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* 26. What percentage of "normal" plant capacity is represented by your 2024 average monthly casting production? ("Normal" being the number of employees, shifts, and days your plant typically operates.)

0-50%

51-60%

61-75%

76-90%

91-100%

over 100%

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* 27. How do you feel the overall U.S. economy (GDP) will perform in 2025 compared to 2024?

Significantly Improve

Improve Somewhat

Remain About The Same

Decline Somewhat

Decline Significantly

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* 28. Do you plan to increase employment totals during 2025?

Yes

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* 29. Which of these will be most effective at encouraging professional growth in metalcasting?

Additional scholarships and internships

Additional or alternate training programs (programs at colleges, trade schools)

More/better skills training

More active involvement by metalcasters with trade associations, universities and colleges, etc.

New professional associations (geographical? market-focused? industry-specific etc.)

Other (please specify)

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* 30. Which of these market segments offers the most promise for the growth of your metalcasting operation?

Alternative energy (nuclear, wind, solar)

Automotive engines, drivetrains

Other automotive components

Electric vehicle market

Off-road vehicle and equipment

Medical / surgical equipment or devices

Infrastructure and construction

Oil and natural gas

None of the above

Other (please specify)

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* 31. Any additional comments that you may have regarding the state of the metalcasting industry and its business outlook will be appreciated. Your comments are confidential. We may quote relevant comments, without attribution, for our report in the November/December 2024 issue.

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* 32. I would like to be contacted by an editor for comments in more detail.

Yes

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* 33. If you would like to be entered in the drawing (contest rules) or to be contacted by an editor, please enter your information below:

Name:

State:

Country:

Email Address:

Phone Number (optional):