At its Singen, Germany, facility, GF Automotive, Schaffhausen, Switzerland, has announced plans for a modern iron castings molding line for the production of top-quality lightweight components for trucks. Construction will start this year, and the new facility will go into operation at the end of 2015. The total investment in the next two years amounts to $75.2 million (EUR 55 million).
With the new molding line, GF Automotive can substantially reduce the weight of truck components, thereby supporting customers in their efforts to reduce fuel consumption and cut emissions in order to meet the stringent Euro 6 standards and beyond.
The new line, with an annual output of 100,000 tons of ductile iron castings, will replace two existing facilities that have been in operation for more than 30 years, thus substantially increasing efficiency. It will be automatized to relieve employees of heavy-duty work, reduce energy needs, and ensure the highest quality.
“The new Singen molding line will enable GF Automotive to contribute even more to the competitiveness of the whole European truck industry,” said Yves Serra, CEO of Georg Fischer Ltd. “Investing in this cutting-edge facility underscores our commitment to the Singen site. It will be a milestone in its long and successful history.”
The Singen production plant was founded in 1895 and employs a workforce of approximately 1,000 with a production capacity of 200,000 tons of ductile iron castings.