A strategic reorganisation of the Georg Fischer group has landed its precision CNC machine business in the wide portfolio of the United Grinding Group. Georg Fischer AG is evaluating “all strategic options” for GF Casting Solutions, a collection of 13 metal casting operations in Germany, Austria, Romania, Switzerland and China that is one of the four vertical businesses that comprise the global organisation.
The news emerged in the course of GF’s announcement of its plan to sell its GF Machining Solutions line to a rival manufacturer of CNC machine tools, United Grinding Group. That sale, at a projected cost of $740 million, will leave GF with the foundry and die casting line, plus GF Building Flow Solutions and GF Piping Systems.
According to Georg Fischer, it is reorganising its business to concentrate its resources in the supply of sustainable water and flow solutions, addressing mission-critical solutions for industrial flow processes, sustainable water management in urban areas and energy efficiency in buildings.
“As in the past, GF continues to adapt its portfolio in order to deliver superior value to all its stakeholders. The focus on Water and Flow Solutions reflects the great potential of these markets and the leadership position of GF thereof,” according to GF group chairman Yves Serra.
Just six months ago GF Casting Solutions committed to building a new high-pressure die casting operation in Augusta, GA, USA to start production by 2027. The reported $184 million operation was announced by the Georgia Department of Economic Development, which is sponsoring an incentives package to the metal caster estimated at $28 million. The plant will produce cast aluminium parts “with a special focus on aluminium large structural components for the automotive industry.”
GF Casting Solutions is mainly a supplier of automotive castings, producing ferrous parts at plants in eastern Europe, and light-metal die castings in the EU and China. It also produces investment castings for the aerospace and industrial gas turbine markets, in Switzerland.
Under different corporate identities, GF has had an intermittent presence in the North American market over recent decades. From 2017 until 2022 it was a joint-venture partner with Linamar Corp. in an automotive casting operation in Mills River, NC. That plant produces aluminium and magnesium structural and powertrain castings for automotive and commercial vehicle customers.
Earlier, in 2009, GF closed a non-ferrous die casting operation in Montreal, Canada.
The divestment of GF Machining Solutions allows GF to increase its strategic flexibility to pursue further growth as well as value-generating investments in Water and Flow Solutions.
For GF Casting Solutions, the industry-leading development partner and manufacturer of lightweight components for the automotive and the aerospace industry, all strategic options are being evaluated. GF will provide timely updates on the review process as appropriate. In the meantime, GF Casting Solutions remains fully committed to maintaining all operations and pursuing its Strategy 2025 targets.
