NFFS 2023 Annual Report
2023 NFFS Events
2023 NFFS Events
2023 Industry Executive Conference
More than 100 NFFS members and foundry industry professionals gathered February at the MGM Grand Las Vegas for the 2023 NFFS Industry Executive Conference and NFFS annual meeting. Here are just a few of the highlights from the Society's event of the year!
- Chris Czarnik's provocative message and easy-to-implement formula for recruiting new employees in today's labor market;
- Ninety minutes packed with valuable data, trends and forecasts from Patrick Luce from the Society's partner economic firm ITR Economics;
- A private concert just for IEC attendees! The Eagles Ronstadt Experience treated attendees to two hours of the biggest hits from the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt;
- The NFFS Annual Meeting, where members elected the 2023 NFFS Board of Directors, welcomed new board members Cory Knight (Erie Bronze & Aluminum) and Ian Wiese (Metcovery II LLC), and said a bittersweet farewell to outgoing director Chip Shamburg (Erie Bronze & Aluminum).
2023 Networking Events
Cleveland – April 2023
Casting Congress Exhibition & Industry Networking Event
As a leading trade association for non-ferrous foundries and their suppliers, the Non-Ferrous Founders' Society was pleased to participate in the American Foundry Society's 2023 Metalcasting Congress conference, which took place from April 25-27, 2023, in Cleveland. The NFFS staff had the opportunity to connect with current and future industry professionals, educate industry representatives about the features and benefits of our ICON program, and showcase the Society’s programs and services for members and the industry.
One of the highlights of Casting Congress was the NFFS Industry Networking Reception, which took place on April 26, 2023 at the elegant Hilton Cleveland Downtown. This event was generously sponsored by Beck Aluminum and Grainger and provided an opportunity for industry professionals to connect with one another in a relaxed and informal setting. The reception was attended by a variety of non-ferrous foundry leaders, industry suppliers and service providers, foundry educators and students.
Fort Worth – October 2023
Industry Networking Event and Foundry Tour
On October 11th, approximately 50 foundry industry leaders from over 20 different companies gathered in Fort Worth, Texas, for another successful NFFS Industry Networking Event & Foundry Tour. George Westhoff and the employees of NFFS member foundry Midland Manufacturing Company welcomed attendees for an impressive and well-received tour of their foundry and facilities. Chris Greenfield, Vice President at The Federal Metal Company, called the tour "extraordinary" and a "highlight" of his trip to Fort Worth. In addition to a facility tour, attendees were presented with a commemorative cast bronze medallion to take home as a souvenir of their visit.
Later in the evening, the (in)famous Billy Bob's Texas hosted members from NFFS and from the Texas Cast Metals Association (TCMA) for a private event in the Guitar Bar, a room showcasing more than 30 autographed guitars from artists who have performed on the famous Billy Bob’s stage. NFFS was pleased to welcome attendees from two new member companies, Recovered Asset Management and A & B Foundry LLC, along with several long-time members. Guests enjoyed an evening of networking, shooting pool, exploring Billy Bob's, and eating a Texas-style buffet dinner. Last but not least, attendees were given the opportunity to pose for a shot with the Billy Bob's photo bull!
Workshops
Cedar Falls Iowa – March 2023
Fundamentals of Robotic Operations for Foundries Workshop
NFFS held the on-site workshop "Fundamentals of Robotic Operations for Foundries" on March 21-24, 2023, in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The training was conducted in cooperation with the University of Northern Iowa Metal Casting & Additive Manufacturing Centers and Hawkeye Community College and provided 3.5 days of introductory knowledge and robotic programming fundamentals to students.
The sold-out training program included twelve students from six different foundries and organizations. Students learned to program robots to conduct specific tasks, such as moving parts from one place to another using proper machine code. The course finished with a visit to the UNI Metal Casting & Additive Manufacturing Center where students learned about digital twins and how they can be used to assist with robotics/automation in the foundry. Afterward, students were treated to a demonstration of the industrial robotic cell within the UNI laboratory, and a tour of the advanced casting laboratory.
Webinars
Featured Webinars
Winning the War for Talent
After the immensely popular 2023 Industry Executive Conference presentation "Winning the War for Talent" with speaker Chris Czarnik, NFFS offered the presentation in webinar format to allow all NFFS members to hear Chris' important message. As we have seen in recent years, recruiting is no longer as easy as posting jobs on a job board and waiting for the resumes to pile in. "Winning the War for Talent" offered insight into the challenges of today’s job market and revealed how organizations can adapt in order to recruit, retain, and develop employees. He explained how companies can create a sales-minded HR team and use insights from current employees to become a company that prospective employees want to work for.
Thermal Analysis for Expensive Non-Ferrous Castings
In September, NFFS hosted a special topics webinar with Francois Audet of Foundry Solutions Metallurgical Services. Francois explained that while thermal analysis has sometimes been regarded as not repeatable or not worth implementing due to a perceived lack of value or shop-floor readiness, this is not necessarily accurate. Participants learned how to effectively use thermal analysis for expensive non-ferrous metal castings to identify the root cause of many casting defects, validate the melt treatment and record/correct melt variations, and to quality new ingots based on metallurgy to avoid problems before they occur.
Navigating Tax Policy Changes
In December, Richard Wile of RubinBrown presented NFFS members with insight into the crucial changes affecting taxes and deductions for non-ferrous foundries in 2023 and beyond. This webinar topic was inspired by recent NFFS advocacy efforts, including call by NFFS and the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM)l for immediate action to extend three pivotal tax policies that have a profound impact on American workers and our nation's future. Rich explored the intricacies of Immediate R&D Expensing, Interest Deductibility, and Full Expensing, shedding light on their implications for foundries of all sizes.
NFFSummit Monthly Health & Safety Webinars
The Society's long-standing NFFSummit Health & Safety Webinars allow attendees to engage in live discussion about a variety of environmental health and safety topics affecting foundries. Offered most months of the year, these timely and relevant webinars are available to NFFS members at no additional cost. Below is a list of topics presented in 2023:
- Preparing Your OSHA & Environmental Programs for 2023 (January 2023)
- Fundamentals of Lockout Tagout Compliance (February 2023)
- Workplace Emergency Planning and Response (April 2023)
- EPA R Form Reporting (May 2023)
- Heat Stress in the Foundry (June 2023)
- NFFS Foundry Safety Audit Program (September 2023)
- Understanding and Managing the OSHA Inspection Process (October 2023)
- OSHA's Revised Electronic Reporting Rule (November 2023)
- Foundry Accident Investigation, Response, and Compliance (December 2023)