The final large patch of grass in the 1600 block of Franklin Street will soon be no more as Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry has announced plans to expand.
During their annual retiree breakfast yesterday morning (September 1st), roughly 50 former workers and members of the Schwartz family, who founded WAF in 1909, watched on as CEO Sachin Shivaram and Manitowoc Mayor Justin Nickels broke ground on the $20 million, 55,000 square foot expansion.
Sachin Sivaram
We asked Shivaram why holding this yearly breakfast is so important to him and the company as a whole.
He said, “I think it’s inspiring for our new employees to see that if you put in a lifetime of work…you can retire young and enjoy things.”
WAF continues to operate all of its foundries, located in three states, out of their home base in Manitowoc, which Shivaram called the “beating heart” of the company.
“Through the profit that we have generated here, we have been able to expand elsewhere, but here, it was really time to reinvest in what we are doing in Manitowoc. This is our largest expansion ever,” he explained. “We are going to modernize the facilities, we are going to bring in some new machinery, create some more space for our employees.”
Shivaram put it bluntly when asked about why they needed to expand. He said they have 500 employees in their current building and “simply don’t have enough space…We have customers who want to buy more from us, but we just don’t have the capacity.”
While addressing the retirees, the CEO described a visit he recently made to another 100+ year old foundry in Ohio.
He explained that 30 years ago, the companies were about the same size. If anything, this other unnamed company was a little bigger. Shivaram explained that the company asked him to come visit because they were about to go bankrupt.
As for why the companies went in such different financial directions, Shivaram explained that it came down to the employees. WAF’s workers feel like a part of the family, while theirs did not.
Mayor Justin Nickles
Mayor Nickles also read a commendation letter to the former workers which honored the Schwartz family, and the positive impact they have had on the Manitowoc community.
While speaking with Seehafer News, Mayor Nickels said that this latest expansion is a part of a continued expansion that WAF has experienced over the 112-year history of the company.
“[WAF] just continues to grow here in the city. We are very proud of that,” the mayor said. “[We] are thankful to the Schwartz family that started this many many years ago, and the generations that made the decision to keep it here in Manitowoc.”
“Never Think You’re Better Than the Workers” and a Retiree Medalion
Not only did the retirees get to witness this groundbreaking, but they were also gifted a book written by Kerry Trask which details the history of the company, and a medallion forged in the very building they once worked.
During the research for the book entitled “Never Think You’re Better Than The Workers”, Trask spoke with several members of the management team, the Schwartz family, and even several former employees.
The artwork on the cover was created by Jason Prigge of Coolest Coast.
WAF also unveiled a documentary put together by KHROME Agency out of Green Bay, which they will now show to potential clients as well.
