On October 1, 1990, Mr. Michael R. Lloyd took over what is now called Americast Metal Products, Inc. The company, at the time was on the verge of bankruptcy. Armed with his plan to turn the company around, Mr. Lloyd went to work and has completely overhauled Americast. The company today has become a leader in the Metalcasting industry.

The original company started as a machine shop in August, 1974. The foundry was opened in 1980 and has been in continuous operation ever since. In the beginning the foundry was a captive shop that was producing cam and groove type brass and aluminum fittings for the hose and pipe industry. Increasing foreign competition drove down the price of these fittings and forced Americast to look for other opportunities. It was decided that the company was no longer in the coupling business. Taking into consideration the company's operations, Americast was redefined as a jobbing foundry and precision machine shop.

As new customers were added the company began to develop and the need for new technologies and higher skilled employees was apparent. Several key employees were hired (see ("Our Staff") , bringing with them important experience needed in the foundry.

In 1995, the foundry was modernized with all new equipment. For the green sand molding area the company installed an overhead sand system and automated shake-out. At the same time, Americast added a Airset or Nobake molding line. The company purchased a new high-speed mixer for production molding and a mechanical sand reclamation unit was also installed. By modernizing the plant, the company has become more competitive.

Another acquisition was made in October, 2000, when the company expanded into the custom cast plaque market. Creative Industries of Boston has been designing and manufacturing custom bronze plaques, awards and medallions, primarily for the military service branches for over 50 years.

Americast is now able to produce castings of almost any company logo, emblem or seal imaginable. These castings can then be mounted on a walnut finished plaque to become a unique cast award, memento or gift. The company will utilize state-of-the-art computer graphics, ThermoJet solid object printing and the photopolymer process to produce patterns, models and sculptures. The ability to quickly produce high resolution 3D models and patterns will decrease time-to-market and lower costs. Americast has acquired a large inventory of patterns, models, rubber molds, dies, and castings, all designed especially for creating recognition awards for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard.

In March, 2003 Americast entered the Bronze Memorial market. The company has diversified its customer base to include the cemetery and funeral home industry. By acquiring the tooling and patterns at an auction, the new product line was added. This is a mature market and should provide a stronger foundation upon which the company can continue to build.

Continuing to focus on profitability and growth, Americast is constantly looking for greater opportunities to be of service. The company's castings are used in a variety of industries including: construction, pump, valve, oilfield and equipment manufacturers. Also, by operating the machine shop, Americast can offer complete turnkey products.