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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Mercury Marine Commissions Expands Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin, Manufacturing Plant

04/03/2017
Mercury Marine, a division of Brunswick Corporation, the world's leading manufacturer of recreational marine engines, commissioned the largest high-pressure die casting machine in North America at its manufacturing complex in Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin.

Since 2009, Mercury Marine has now invested more than $800MM in R&D and manufacturing expansion at its Fond du Lac campus. This specific investment is a 4,500 ton Buhler-Prince machine. Installation began late in 2016 and was just completed in late March 2017.

"This new machine positions us to make castings that no one else in the industry can do," said Mike Meyer, General Manager Mercury Castings. "With this new machine, Mercury can make larger, lightweight structural components and reduce the overall weight of our engine by producing more efficient castings."

According to company officials, the new machine has 4,500 tons of closing force with three industrial robots integrated into the cell. The total weight of machine with tools and oil is more than one million pounds. The new machine can produce large, structural components for the high horse power marine segment, and even other segments such as automotive.

"This new state-of-the-art casting machine on our campus as it gives us the opportunity to continue to drive growth for the business said John Pfeifer, Mercury Marine President. "This investment is one of many milestones on Mercury's investment journey to support our customers now and into the future."

Additional features of the new die cast machine include Integrated cell, automated to allow for: robotic metal pouring, die lube spraying and automated sawing of gates, which eliminates ergonomic issues of lifting heavy castings/gating by operator and utilization of pressurized hot water equipment (up to 300 degree F) and high pressure jet cooling lines (flow rates up to 500 PSI).

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