A Trumbull Foundry Perspective on AFS Projects 1.9% Casting Sales Growth for 2025
- Trumbull Foundry
- Aug 1
- 3 min read
The American Foundry Society (AFS) recently released a projection indicating a 1.9% growth in casting sales for 2025. This forecast, while a modest increase, provides a relevant data point for strategic planning within the manufacturing sector. From Trumbull Foundry's perspective, this growth underscores the sustained demand for high-integrity, custom engineered metal components across various industrial applications.
Industry Stability and Demand Drivers
A 1.8% growth projection for the casting industry signals a stable, albeit incremental, expansion. For engineers and manufacturers, this translates to continued, predictable demand for specific material solutions in critical applications. The underlying drivers for this growth are rooted in fundamental requirements across sectors that rely on robust, precisely manufactured components:
Infrastructure Longevity: Ongoing needs in construction and utilities demand durable cast iron components for their established longevity and cost-effectiveness.
Heavy Industrial Equipment Lifecycle: Sectors like mining, primary metals, and power generation require continuous replacement and upgrade of wear-resistant and high-stress components, which are often best served by custom castings.
Specialized Performance Needs: The ability of casting to produce complex geometries with tailored mechanical properties (such as specific strength-to-weight ratios, damping characteristics, wear resistance) ensures its indispensability for specialized OEM and replacement parts.
This projected growth indicates consistent project pipelines and a steady requirement for materials engineered for performance and durability.
“After several years of robust casting sales growth, 2024 was an unusually slow year. Sales figures were flat or slightly down across a broad cross-section of metalcasters. For 2025, AFS is projecting a 1.9% overall increase in casting sales. That figure masks a wide divergence among foundries, in that some are seeing robust demand for castings, while other foundries have seen orders decline significantly. We expect overall casting sales to grow faster in 2026 to 2029 as tax, regulatory and tariff policies become more certain. The July 2025 enactment of the AFS-backed tax cut bill is a big step in that direction.” - Doug Kurkul, CEO of AFS
Trumbull Foundry's Engineering Contribution to Growth:
At Trumbull Foundry, our operational focus is on delivering custom metal casting solutions that meet stringent engineering specifications. Our capabilities directly support the demands indicated by this AFS projection:
Material Expertise: We specialize in the precise production of Gray Iron (e.g., ASTM A48 Class 20-60) and Ductile Iron (e.g., ASTM A536 Grades 60-40-18 to 120-90-02), alongside various carbon, stainless, and tool steels. Engineers understand the distinct mechanical and physical properties these alloys offer:
Gray Iron: Valued for its excellent damping capacity (critical for noise and vibration reduction in machine tool bases, engine blocks) and superior machinability, which reduces post-casting processing costs.
Ductile Iron: Chosen for applications requiring high tensile strength, yield strength, and impact resistance, alongside good ductility, making it suitable for high-stress components in heavy equipment, pipe fittings, and automotive parts where fracture toughness is paramount.
Integrated Engineering & Prototyping: Our ability to provide turnkey solutions, from initial CAD model review and DFM (Design for Manufacturability) analysis through rapid prototyping and production, is crucial. This integrated approach ensures that design intent translates effectively into a manufacturable and performant component, optimizing lead times and mitigating iteration cycles.
Application-Specific Solutions: We provide engineered casting solutions for demanding environments, including high-temperature refractory applications, abrasive mining conditions, and high-pressure power generation components. Our process controls and metallurgical expertise ensure material integrity and consistent performance in these critical service conditions.
Looking Ahead
The AFS forecast of 1.9% growth in casting sales for 2025 provides a clear indication of ongoing stability and demand within the manufacturing supply chain. For engineering professionals, this underscores the continuing relevance of robust, precision-engineered cast components. Trumbull Foundry remains committed to supporting this growth by delivering technically sound, high-quality casting solutions that address the specific performance and reliability requirements of our clients' most challenging applications. We are poised to continue contributing to the foundational strength of various industries through our core competency in advanced metal casting.
Full AFS Article Referenced:
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