Business View Magazine | September 2019

33 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2019 E stablished in 1943, the Non-Ferrous Founders’ Society (NFFS) is a 501(c) (6) trade association serving non- ferrous foundries, die casters, and ingot manufacturers. NFFS members produce non-ferrous metal castings from a wide variety of materials including aluminum, brass/bronze, zinc, lead, and other materials, principally via the sand, permanent mold, investment casting, continuous cast and die- casting casting processes. NFFS member foundries are concentrated in the traditional manufacturing regions, primarily the Great Lakes states, along the Eastern Seaboard, and on the West Coast. The castings manufactured by foundries are an important part of the U.S. economy and are widely used in most economic segments. Castings are particularly important in automotive, energy/power generation, medical technologies, military/ defense, plumbing and fluid handling, industrial, marine, tooling & machinery, housing, construction, and aircraft industries. There are approximately 950 non-ferrous foundries and die casters in the United States. Industry census data reveals nearly 85 percent of non-ferrous foundries are small businesses employing less than 250 employees, though some large facilities can employ more than 500 workers. Many non-ferrous foundries are family-owned businesses and employ multiple generations of the same family. Advancing the non-ferrous castings industry The NON-FERROUS FOUNDERS’ Society