The metalcasting industry provides approximately 1% of
the manufacturing GDP. The industry employs a quarter of a million people in all 50
states, with a total annual payroll close to $7 billion [DOC 1996].
Small- and medium-sized foundries dominate the industry, with about 80% of all foundries
employing fewer than 100 people and only 6% having a staff larger than 250 [Kanicki 1998].
The United States led all other countries in the world in producing metal castings in
1997, supplying one-fifth of the world's total shipments of 67 million tons. The nearest
competitor is China, with about 16% of the total. [AFS 1998]
Public and private research institutions and organizations are part of the infrastructure
of the metalcasting industry. R&D expenditures in 1997 were about evenly divided
between nonferrous metals and ferrous metals [NSF 1997].
