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Frank DeMeo: Bringing an ''outside'' business acumen to foundry management. (Industry Faces).

Article Excerpt
Spend a few minutes with Frank DeMeo of General Casting (GC), and it becomes clear that he marches to a different beat, a likely byproduct of the fact that he did not "grow up" in the foundry business. While at times an industry contrarian, DeMeo is a student of the industry nonetheless, and one quick to share his own analysis on the ever-changing industry dynamics.

DeMeo, who spent 21 years in various engineering and business development capacities in the pump and compressor business (including the division president role at Dresser Industries and the top post at Atlas Copco N.A.), "found" the foundry business by accident when looking for compressor companies to acquire. Instead, he was presented with an opportunity to acquire General Casting's four foundries, and in 1990 entered a business he admittedly knew little about.

Now overseeing 10 operations in his group (each of which he has turned into focused factories), he recently acquired Grede's Cynthiana, Kentucky operation as a home for his growing lost foam interest. An acquisition of Hodge Foundry, Greenville, Pennsylvania, is also pending, which will increase GC's upper size range capabilities.

Asked of GC's performance relative to its peers, DeMeo said it's in the middle of the pack. "We can't stay there, though, or we'll lose to offshore competitors," he said, noting that one-half of his work is vulnerable to offshore competition. Following are some of his thoughts on today's business climate.

On Industry's Current Woes

Among the roots of today's competitive problems, he said,...

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