Brembo, an innovator of brake technology, has conducted the first pour at its all-new cast iron foundry, recently completed in Homer, Michigan. The first pour is a preliminary test of the facility that ensures all systems are functioning properly and is the first step before production ramp up begins.
During this test, the foundry‘s furnaces were charged and the molten raw material from these furnaces was poured into a mold for the first time. All systems in Brembo‘s new cast iron foundry performed as expected, the company said.
The Homer cast iron foundry is the fourth in Brembo‘s worldwide foundry network and the first Brembo cast iron foundry in North America. The foundry also is the third manufacturing facility that Brembo has expanded or built at the Homer, Michigan, manufacturing site.
“The startup of our new, state-of-the-art foundry in Homer is further proof of Brembo‘s commitment to Michigan and is a key component of Brembo‘s continued global expansion,” said Matteo Tiraboschi, deputy executive chairman, Brembo S.p.A. “The growth of our Homer operation exemplifies our commitment to the North American market, the top geographic market for Brembo worldwide.”
“Having our own dedicated foundry in the United States allows us to have maximum control over our process and costs. Our customers benefit by having a dedicated, fully integrated manufacturing process for their brake components,” added Dan Sandberg, president and CEO Brembo North America.
Construction on the 266,000-square-foot foundry began in 2015. Brembo will begin production ramp-up next month in May and the foundry is expected to be fully operational in 2017. The foundry is adjacent to Brembo‘s 440,000-square-foot facility that machines discs and drums for the OE market. Brembo also operates a caliper and corner module assembly facility at the same location.
Since purchasing the Homer disc plant in 2007, as part of the acquisition of Hayes Lemmerz‘s brake business, Brembo says it has continuously expanded its footprint in Michigan. Since 2009, the Homer disc plant has been expanded three times.
Brembo invested $100 million into the Homer cast iron foundry. At full capacity, it will produce an annual output of 80,000 tons of brake disc castings. The foundry operations will cover an area of approximately 300,000 square feet and will create 250 jobs at the foundry and at Brembo‘s North American Headquarters in nearby Plymouth, Michigan.
