The Future of Manufacturing in Canada: A 2018 Outlook

Posted on January 19, 2018 by admin

Manufacturing accounts for more than 10% of the GDP, positioning it stronger than the energy sector. More importantly, billions of dollars are pumped into research and development by manufacturing giants and all innovation in the land of maple leaf owes something to the impetus generated by manufacturing players.

The global recession of almost a decade ago has retreated–and 2018 is presenting the producers of the country with new opportunities.

Robotics, Transportation & Defense are Major Contributors to the Manufacturing Upsurge:

Reports by IFR suggest that the global robotics market will expand by 15% in the run-up to 2018 adding 13 million automatons and AI driven mechanical workers to industries like assembly, manufacturing and warehouse handling. Since the Skill Gap in Canada is still a major stumbling block that the government has to maneuver, it is anticipated that outsourcing of routine, dangerous and repetitive tasks to robots will find greater favor.

Where transportation is concerned, the keywords for 2018 are – balance, optimization and going green. As the land that is leading the global movement to switch to clean energy, investment in low emission vehicles and engines that utilize fuel better will complement the mammoth 11 year, 10.1-billion-dollar transportation infrastructure initiative.

2018 is also the turning point for the Canadian defense budget. Between 2018 and 2027, there is projected to be a rise of 700% in spend fueling frenzied and proportionate activity in the manufacturing sector.

The Foundry is Proud to be Part of Canadian Manufacturing:

Meteor Foundry is equally optimistic about its own position in 2018. We possess best in class sand molding, permanent molding, pattern making, laser printing, finishing capabilities, and have recently acquired a 5 axis CNC.

This makes us even more excited to serve existing and future customers in this new era of renewed manufacturing dominance.

Our competence in the domain of custom production coupled with an efficiently managed supply chain has helped us emerge as one of the preferred providers of Aluminum/Zinc castings in Canada and our Global Partners.

Are you interested in seeing how the Foundry can take your business to the next level? Contact us here.

You can also follow our blog, Twitter and LinkedIn for relevant industry updates.

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Industrial Sector Pans Out On Top

Posted on December 15, 2017 by admin

2017 met the manufacturing industry with a forecast of ups and downs. With the inauguration of U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump, the border wall, NAFTA, and other economic factors, expectations were understandably guarded. So how did the year pan out for the global manufacturing industry? Let’s review.

Manufacturing will always continue to play an essential role in the global economy being the foundation for success of other industries and business sectors. When productivity in manufacturing is healthy the national economy strengthens, creating new innovations and job opportunities along with it.

In April, companies like Caterpillar and Citibank, boldly raised their 2017 forecasts for both sales and revenue as mining showed signs of recovery. Effects were seen across Asia and Canada. China, specifically, sought a strong demand for their investment in infrastructure and residential projects.

As for Canada, we’re facing an age of innovation, energy efficiency, and exports. As a part of a three-year strategic plan for manufacturing endeavors, we’ve worked towards strengthening export ties with U.S. Public transportation, social systems, and the housing market are also attracting large investments like millennial settlements. As always, Canadian manufacturers are gearing to explore reduction of carbon emissions and better wastewater policies to stay globally competitive. At Meteor, this is a part of our 2017 (and beyond) initiative.

No matter the state of the industry, the part that will always remain at the forefront are the customers who help create supply and demand. Requiring design, engineering, and production, companies spanning the continents come together to fulfill new concepts in development of the latest and best working technologies. Here at Meteor Foundry, we meet those needs through crucial services like prototyping to final production. Our capabilities meet both low and high volume requests.

At Meteor Foundry we have partnered with giants such as Siemens, Howden Ventilation Air Systems, Husky, ABB, GE, and more, all of whom bring a robust demand. Our team of advanced engineers and dedicated employees ensure that quality and service meet the full expectations of our clients.

2018 is gearing up to be a great year offering exciting opportunity, join us by send your most challenging casting projects, we shall be pleased to provide you with a quotation.

Continue to follow our blog, Twitter, and LinkedIn for industry-wide updates. To hear more about our products or services, please contact us today.

We’d like to thank you all for reading and wish you a very happy and healthy holiday season! Until next year!

               – The Team at Meteor Foundry

 

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Canadian Manufacturing: Foreign Expansion, Government Investment & Advanced Technologies

Posted on November 15, 2017 by admin

The Manufacturer’s Outlook 2017 positions the Canadian manufacturing industry as aggressive and agile. It stacks up stronger than the US economy in terms of the potential to penetrate foreign markets and the wherewithal to execute its plans successfully.

Canada has seen turmoil over the last year as several initiatives put in place by the Obama administration were jeopardized by the succession to power of real estate Moghul Donald Trump. The destabilizing of the green back and the push pull in the global oil and gas sector have also added to the uncertainty.

But Canada is ready with a blueprint of success.

How’s the Manufacturing Industry Shaping Up?

Canada is a country of 34.6 million people strong. The growth rate has been sluggish over the years but cautious optimism is in the air with an anticipation of breaking the 2% glass ceiling.

In the midst of this speculation, three keywords have emerged strong – Innovation, Energy Efficiency & Exports.

Exports:

As a part of Canada’s three-year strategic plan for manufacturing endeavours, strengthening export ties with USA features prominently. The North American industry is also poised for growth and the dollar on its way to regaining superiority makes it a favorable investment for Canadian manufacturers.

Innovation:

The fabled 180 billion-dollar 12-year long term infrastructure improvement drive is opening up a plethora of new opportunities for manufacturing. Better public transport and social systems are bound to attract investments. And Canada is being viewed as a tolerant, safe and progressive land by the Millennials who are choosing the maple leaf over other, previously hyped destinations.

The housing industry will benefit from this influx and all streams will ultimately feed the increase in demand to the manufacturing machine. To stay prepared and fight the skills gap – employee training programs, technologies like CAD blueprints, data analysis for performance enhancement and 3D printing are being called into use.

Energy Efficiency:

In light of a growing awareness of environmental impact and tightening of legislative policies, more and more Canadian manufacturers are gearing to explore reduction of carbon emissions and better water use policies to stay globally competitive. Canada is already the cradle of clean energy and these measures will support its claim of being a green friendly nation while cushioning the manufacturing industry from fluctuating fossil fuel prices.

Meteor Foundry’s Doing its Part:

The Foundry is an ISO 9001:2008 certified company that has consistently produced high quality Aluminium and Zinc alloy castings for its buyers. We prize on-time delivery, being a symbol of dependability, and have been the reliable partner of Canadian manufacturing for 6 decades.

If you want to stay updated of the shifts and developments in manufacturing, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. You can also contact us at customerservice@meteorfoundry.com for quotes.

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Meteor Foundry Celebrates Manufacturing Day Friday, October 6th!

Posted on October 3, 2017 by admin

Since 2012, manufacturers across the country have been celebrating National Manufacturing Day. This day was set aside to bring awareness to the many facets of modern manufacturing and for companies to open their doors to the public. Most events welcome students, teachers, politicians, media, and business people alike into the workplace to showcase what modern manufacturing looks like today. “It’s not your grandfather’s factory anymore!” Today, the industry encompasses modern day technologies with secure career paths and economic benefits around the globe.

Since inception, National Manufacturing Day has grown by over 1,000%. Companies nationwide invite the public into their facilities to get a glimpse of what they do, what the necessary skills are to succeed within the industry, future career opportunities, and the incredible growth that the U.S. and Canadian manufacturers expect to see in the coming years. Here at Meteor Foundry, we support National Manufacturing Day and the many initiatives that are taking place, such as: bridging the skills gap, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) education, and re-shoring.

Last year alone there were over 595,341 participants in National Manufacturing Day with 267,607 of those being students. Student participation is crucial because the millennials are now learning the careers paths, rewards of the industry within their communities.

The Canadian manufacturing sector continues plays a considerable role in contribution to the national GDP. Canada’s 2016 reported dollars was $2.068 Trillion or $2,068 Billion of which manufacturing was the second highest contributor at slightly over 10% ($207 billion).

At Meteor Foundry, we specialize in aluminum and zinc, sand and pattern mold castings, and pattern tool making. Our size options range from ounces to 4,000 pounds. We serve a wide range of industries including mining ventilation, robotics, transportation, electric & gas, furniture, truck, and defense.

We encourage those students seeking a career path to pursue the many exciting opportunities offered in the manufacturing sectors, the Foundry Industry being one of them.

To learn more, we invite you to read our blog, follow us on Twitter, and connect with us on LinkedIn. To learn more about how Meteor Foundry can help you, we invite you to contact us today.

 

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Upcoming Trade Shows

Posted on September 5, 2017 by admin

Here at the foundry, we believe in community involvement as an integral part of our industry. A crucial part of that involvement means exhibiting at manufacturing tech shows.

CMTS

This year our team is exhibiting at the Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show (CMTS). From September 25-28, the show will be held at the International Centre in Mississauga, Ontario. We will be located at Booth 1009, showcasing a variety of castings. CMTS is a national stage for exhibiting manufacturing technologies, best practices, and for connecting industry professionals. Attendees can meet with over 700 manufacturing suppliers, learn from industry leaders, and connect with thousands of authorities within the industry. There will be technology exhibits, conferences, and a good deal of networking available throughout all 3 days.

APTA Expo

Up next: the APTA show in Atlanta. This October, we shall be networking with as many professional as possible. The show is the Public Transportation’s Premier Showcase and runs from October 9-11at the Georgia World Congress Center. This expo is where innovation and technology come together in an effort to advance public transportation. A great opportunity to introduce Meteor Foundry casting capabilities as a potential supplier.

Meteor Foundry’s Capabilities

Since 1965, Meteor Foundry has been providing customers with unparalleled quality, customer service, and on time delivery. We are ISO certified, ensuring customers get the quality they expect while knowing we adhere to strict standards of safety and efficiency. We are able to take your concept and develop from prototype to finished product.

Here at Meteor Foundry, we specialize in aluminum, zinc, sand and permanent mold casting, and pattern tool making. Our products can range in size from ounces to approximately 4000 lbs. We serve industries such as mining ventilation, robotics, transportation, electric & gas, furniture, truck, defense, and more.

Stay in Touch

We invite you to contact us with any project need you may have. You can also learn more by reading our blog, following us on Twitter, and connecting with us on LinkedIn. We look forward to seeing you at one of the expos or on any one of our social media platforms.

 

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Fan Blades Provide Safety Across Industries

Posted on August 8, 2017 by admin

Have you ever wondered what industries would look like without the use of fan blades? In the grander scheme of things, our guess is probably not. But think about it—without fan blades, multiple industries like mining, aerospace, energy, etc. would face extremely challenging conditions in which to operate.

Our fan blades ventilate sectors like the mining industry in which safety is always imperative. Removal of deadly gases and debris becomes relevant in environments that consist of methane, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide, not to mention massive amounts of dust and heat. The removal process is made possible through Meteor Foundry  proud participate as a supplier of Axial Fan Blades and Hubs used for the ventilation process.

castings, fan blade castings

Our prowess in casting was recently shown when we produced ventilation system fan blades that attained an industry-leading tolerance within 0.015”-0.020”. As a result of our work, we are now receiving orders from new markets, including the robust South American and South African mining sectors. We look forward to keeping you in the loop as we set out to fill their requirements.

“The Foundry” (as known by many) has partnered with giants such as Bombardier, Siemens, Daimler-Chrysler, Husky, GE, and others. Discover more about what we do by calling (905) 670-2890 or emailing us at customerservice@meteorfoundry.com. Keep up with the latest by reading our blog, following us on Twitter, and connecting on LinkedIn.

At Meteor Foundry, we always strive to improve quality and efficiency through innovation and via the skills of our extraordinary team of professionals. To meet growing demand, we recently acquired a new, cutting-edge 5 axis CNC machine, expanding our already impressive capabilities even further. With our commitment to advanced engineering and automation, competitive pricing, quality and timely deliveries, we continue to grow and service our customer base.

 

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Meteor Foundry Celebrates the State of Industry!

Posted on July 12, 2017 by admin

Just last month one of the biggest industrial equipment manufacturing companies in America, Caterpillar, boldly raised its 2017 forecast for both sales and revenues due to an observed robust recovery in world mining. Such enthusiastic optimism has its basis in surprisingly vigorous first-quarter sales of 9.8 billion dollars.

Following Caterpillar years of anemic performance for the company’s iconic yellow machines, sales have been up across the globe including a whopping 12% increase in Asia. This stems from stronger demand in China, in particular, with its boost in investment for infrastructure and residential projects to forestall potential economic slowdown. Citibank chimed in stating that, in 2017, mining stocks will experience momentum in earnings including the possibility that shareholders may enjoy substantial capital gifted back to them.

British Colombia also reports to have hit its highest net revenue since 2012.

This, of course, is all very positive and indicates that companies, such as Meteor Foundry, will be beneficiaries of this potential global uptick.

 What it all Means for Meteor Foundry

In business since 1965, Meteor Foundry specializes in the design and manufacture of aluminum and zinc alloy castings and pattern tool making for such uses in mining ventilation, robotics, transportation, electric and gas, defense, and more. The products range in size from mere ounces to several thousands of pounds. “The Foundry,” as known by many in the industry, partners with such giants as, Siemens, Husky, GE, Advanced Fan Systems, Howden Ventilation Systems and others that count on Meteor as their long term supplier.

With the aforementioned economic improvement, a commitment to advanced engineering and automation, competitive pricing, the utmost in quality and on-time deliveries, it is no surprise that new companies are coming on board each and every year.

Learn more by contacting us today at (905) 670-2890 or dropping us an email at customerservice@meteorfoundry.com. And be sure to keep updated with the latest news by reading our blog, following us on Twitter, or connecting with us on LinkedIn.

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Meteor Foundry Supports Safety Month this June

Posted on June 8, 2017 by admin

June is here meaning National Safety Month is upon us! Founded by the National Safety Council, National Safety Month aims to educate companies throughout all industries on important workplace safety issues in order to reduce the risk of workplace injury and death.

This year, National Safety Month features four safety themes, one for each week of June. Week one is “Stand Up to Falling,” focusing specifically on falls, one of the leading causes of workplace injury.

Week two is “Recharge to be in Charge,” centers on ensuring your employees are healthy and well-rested.

Week three, “Prepare for Active Emergencies,” helps companies set guidelines for quick, efficient responses to such an event. (Emergency building evacuation process & procedures.)

Finally, week four, “Don’t Just Sit There,” focuses on ergonomics, by so doing improve your employees’ health and well-being.

Safety at Meteor Foundry

While Meteor Foundry is proud to support 2017 National Safety Month, safety is a top priority practiced and implement daily, year long.

At Meteor, we specialize in casting aluminum and zinc in both sand and permanent gravity molds, at times pouring castings as large as 4,000 pounds; this means our employees are regularly working with and exposed to molten metal. The exposure to significant injury can be great making environment awareness and material handling our primary safety concern.

To help keep our employees safe while working with potentially hazardous molten materials, and machines we employ several critical initiatives.

Firstly, we place a strict emphasis on proper training and awareness of the foundry work place. The use of personal protective gear, conducting checks to ensure all pieces are being used, and being used properly. We have an involved safety committee and hold periodic safety awareness assemblies, in which our team members get refreshers on safety precautions, hazard awareness, and proactive thinking.

Learn More

Meteor Foundry is proud to support this year’s National Safety Month. Our team employs comprehensive safety initiatives throughout the entire year, and we urge all of our customers to do the same.

To keep up to date with Meteor, including our various safety efforts, follow our blog, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and feel free to contact us at any time.

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Meteor Foundry’s Energy Saving Initiative

Posted on May 17, 2017 by admin

Manufacturing is an energy intensive industry. Energy efficiency is an important part of maintaining the high standards we expect to deliver to every one of our customers. Although replacing older, outdated systems with new energy savings components are labor, time, and cost intensive, it is very worthwhile in the end.

We have developed a three phase energy saving initiative to improve the facility for our workers while reducing energy use. We have just completed Phase 1—the installation of LED lighting throughout the entire factory. LEDs offer so much more than incandescent and even fluorescent lighting. The light is brighter and cleaner and uses a fraction of the energy of other lighting materials. Because the factory is so much more well-lit than before, it improves safety among our employees.

The switch to LEDs was an easy choice to make. In addition to brighter light, LEDs don’t produce as much heat as traditional lights. This keeps the factory cooler and in a foundry, a little less heat is welcome!

The price reduction of LED lighting is another reason to upgrade. Lower costs, improved LED products, and long operating life of the bulbs made this aspect of our energy saving initiative a win-win situation. The long life of the bulbs will mean less maintenance, especially in high, hard to reach locations – further reducing our operating costs and increasing funds to put towards our customers.

Reducing energy use is an important aspect of manufacturing to stay competitive. This is the first step in our plan to improve efficiencies while continuing to maintain a safe workplace for all of our employees. We’ll keep you updated on our progress in future blogs!

Meteor Foundry serves a wide range of industries with very diverse requirements. To learn more about our services, capabilities, and the industries we serve, please visit our site or contact us today!

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Meteor Foundry’s Go Green Initiatives on Earth Day

Posted on April 11, 2017 by admin

Earth Day is just around the corner and here at Meteor Foundry we encourage you to go green with us to celebrate. The annual April 22nd event provides the perfect opportunity to utilize one or more of our eco-friendly initiatives to show your commitment to protecting the planet. We provide quality aluminum and zinc, sand, and permanent mold castings to a range of industries, including mining and ventilation, across Canada and the United States.

Saving Energy

At Meteor Foundry, we are genuinely interested in the results of energy consumption audits. By analyzing the patterns of energy usage within our organization, we can take effective steps to reduce fossil fuel consumption.

This energy-saving activity is part of our 2017 goal to significantly reduce our own carbon footprint and set precedents for energy intake by businesses in the same sector. Doing so is advantageous on many levels, from saving money (as a direct result of the energy drop within day-to-day foundry operations) to helping the Canadian government achieve its goal to be at the forefront of energy conservation and energy renewal initiatives.

Go Green Techniques

Meteor Foundry has already taken steps to use energy more strategically, including using LEDs and melting aluminum through electricity. This will help us restructure floor operations to be more efficient and meet the highest industry standards for disposal options. As part of the metal environment, we support a circular economy, meaning a large proportion of materials are recycled or reused and relive multiple lifecycles in various forms.

We also provide castings for windmills, generating green wind energy to provide power across many applications and support a home-based initiative for electric heating rather than gas or fire as main heat sources. In the mining industry, we continue to develop and produce sand casted aluminum fan blades and other parts within ventilation systems.

The exhaust fans are vital to the ventilation systems that provide safe working conditions for miners. The fans remove deadly gasses, such as carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, to replace with clean, breathable air, as well as maintaining decent working temperatures.

Environmentally Friendly Aims

At Meteor Foundry, we are putting go green initiatives into play on April 22nd for Earth Day and year-round. Stay current on our progress by following us on our blog, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

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