Company News: Archives

• Released: November 5, 2009
  Great Lakes Castings has been certified by Armstrong International as “Elite Vendor” - Armstrong International offers a wide variety of products for steam, air and hot water utilization.
   
• Released: August 7, 2007
  Great Lakes Castings has been certified by SRI for the ISO/TS 16949:2002.
  The certification includes the production facilities located in Michigan.
   
• Released: December 14, 2006
  Republic Financial Corporation Acquires Great Lakes Castings
  Top Colorado Investment Company Contributes to Company Growth
   
• Released: September 28, 2006
  Great Lakes Castings Launches Dynamic New Website
  Michigan Castings Company Debuts Upgraded, Modernized Internet Site
   
• Released: February 21, 2006
  Great Lakes Castings Brings Added Value to Customers with Lean Manufacturing - Gray Iron Castings Company Meets Customers Demands by Going Lean
   
• Article: Manufacturing Today Magazine Sept/Oct 2005 Issue
  Great Lakes Castings is leading survival of casting's fittest

Gray Iron Foundry Great Lakes Castings certified by
Armstrong International as “Elite Vendor”

Ludington, Mich. - November 5, 2009 – Great Lakes Castings, a leading supplier of gray iron castings, has recently been certified by Armstrong International, Inc., as an “Elite Vendor.”

Headquartered in Three Rivers, Michigan, Armstrong International not only provides intelligent system solutions that improve utility performance, lower energy consumption, and reduce environmental emissions, but also offers a wide variety of products for steam, air and hot water utilization.

“This is a distinct recognition,” commented Susan Boele, Buyer for Armstrong International. “Very few foundries make this grade and Great Lakes earned it by consistently delivering quality products, on-time.”

Armstrong’s steam systems are used in a variety of applications in the power, food, chemical, institutional and refining industries. The company’s in-house steam specialists provide assistance in properly designing steam systems and applying Armstrong products for maximum efficiency.

“We are most proud to be affiliated with Great Lakes Castings,” noted David Armstrong, Chief Executive Officer and President of Armstrong Global Holdings, Inc. “This company certainly aligns very nicely with our quality standards and they’ve proven themselves time and time again in earning this elite honor.”

“We’re pleased to have earned this level of recognition from one of our valued customers,” said Rob Killips, chief executive officer of Great Lakes. “This certification represents a major achievement by our dedicated team of employees who show up to work everyday with a commitment to building world-class products that meet or exceed our customers’ expectations. The certification underscores both Great Lakes’ reputation and our commitment to outstanding quality and customer service.”

About Armstrong International, Inc.

Armstrong International, Inc., provides intelligent system solutions that improve utility performance, lower energy consumption, and reduce environmental emissions while providing an “enjoyable experience.” Armstrong International is proud to have been owned and operated by the same family for more than a century. It shows our unwavering belief in, and practice of, our core values. It’s evident in the respect our employees show for one another. It comes through in the passion we have for solving our customers’ problems. That’s why most of our employees have been with Armstrong for decades – even generations. Today, as a global enterprise with more than 1,000 employees, and manufacturing entities in the United States, Canada, Belgium, China, Mexico, India, Japan, France and Korea, Armstrong is poised to guide our customers through this century and beyond.

About Great Lakes Castings

Great Lakes Castings, LLC, a leading supplier of gray iron castings, operates a foundry located in Ludington, Michigan and a finishing facility in Holland, Michigan. The company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Republic Financial Corporation, specializes in iron castings for the air conditioning, automotive aftermarket, compressor, construction, farm, heating, pump, refrigeration, and valve industries. For more information, visit www.greatlakescastings.com.

Contact: Eric Bansch (231) 845-3417; ebansch@greatlakescastings.com

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Great Lakes Castings Awarded ISO TS Certification
Certification Validates Company’s Commitment to Improving Quality

Ludington, Mich. - Aug. 7, 2007 – Great Lakes Castings, LLC (Great Lakes), a leading supplier of gray iron castings, has recently been certified by SRI for the ISO/TS 16949:2002. The certification includes the production facilities located in Ludington and Holland, Mich.

“This certification represents a major achievement by our employees to ensure our products and services meet our customers’ expectations," said Rob Killips, Chief Executive Officer of Great Lakes. “The certification validates both Great Lakes’ reputation and our commitment to outstanding quality.”

ISO/TS 16949:2002 is the quality management systems requirements for the automotive industry organizations developed by the International Automotive Task Force (IATF). The IATF is a group of automotive manufacturers and their respective trade associations, formed to provide improved quality products to automotive customers worldwide.

ISO/TS 16949:2002 promotes a process approach for the design and development, production, installation and service of automotive products, which can result in increased quality, a reduction in variation and increased efficiency. The IATF requires Great Lakes to be a third party registered to sell products in the automotive market.

IATF members include the following vehicle manufacturers: BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Fiat, Ford Motor Company, General Motors (including Opel Vauxhall), PSA Peugeot-Citroen, Renault SA, Volkswagen and its respective trade associations - AIAG (U.S.), ANFIA (Italy), FIEV (France), SMMT (U.K.) and VDA (Germany).

Eric Bansch, Vice President of Great Lakes added, “This certification represents the commitment that Great Lakes has made to its customers. We are constantly striving to improve systems, and incorporating a comprehensive and effective quality program through all stages of our business.”

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Republic Financial Corporation Acquires Great Lakes Castings
Top Colorado Investment Company Contributes to Company Growth

Aurora, Colorado - December 14, 2006 Republic Financial Corporation ("Republic"), a privately held company with investment interests in a diverse portfolio of operating companies, announced today the acquisition of the operating business of Great Lakes Castings, LLC, a leading gray iron castings foundry. Republic has, through a subsidiary, acquired Great Lakes' operating business, offering stability for the business and for the customers of Great Lakes.

"We are excited about investing in Great Lakes and the chance to work with the management team to make a good company even better," says Bob Possehl, executive vice president of Republic. "Great Lakes has a solid reputation in the manufacturing industry with a strong customer base which will be key in our focus to grow the business and attract new customers."

Great Lakes Castings, LLC is a leading foundry specializing in gray iron castings for different industries, including air conditioning, industrial applications, construction, heavy trucks, farming and automotive. The existing management of Great Lakes Castings will be retained and the business and operations of Great Lakes will continue providing its customers the same great quality products. Republic will provide capital and financial and other expertise to support the existing management team in its continued fulfillment of customer expectations and the pursuit of strategic growth initiatives.

"We are very pleased with the stability and support Republic offers to its operating companies. This transaction provides us with an opportunity to improve operations as a benefit not only to our customers but also to the employees who live in the community," says Rob Killips, president of Great Lakes Castings. "We look forward to working with the management team at Republic to grow the business."
Republic's success is attributable to the significant amount of time, talent and resources spent analyzing, underwriting and managing the assets acquired. The company emphasizes tracking the markets in which it operates and gaining a detailed understanding of opportunities through extensive due diligence in order to maximize returns while mitigating risk.

About Republic Financial Corporation
Republic Financial Corporation, located in Aurora, Colorado, is a privately held company with investment interests in a diverse portfolio of operating companies. Representative industries include promotional products, corporate staffing, construction aggregates, aviation, security software, telecommunications and data services. The company invests in middle-market companies, small market buy-outs, early stage venture capital, commercial debt and aviation assets. Since 1971, Republic has achieved commercial success by developing creative solutions to difficult and complex business situations. For more information visit www.republic-financial.com.

About Great Lakes Castings, LLC
Great Lakes Castings, LLC is a leading supplier of gray iron castings with a foundry in Ludington, Michigan and a finishing facility in Holland, Michigan. The company specializes in iron castings for the air conditioning, automotive aftermarket, compressor, construction, farm, heating, pump, refrigeration, and valve industries. For more information, visit www.greatlakescastings.com

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Great Lakes Castings Launches Dynamic New Website
Michigan Castings Company Debuts Upgraded, Modernized Internet Site

LUDINGTON, MI (September 28, 2006) –Great Lakes Castings LLC, a leading supplier of gray iron castings, recently launched their redesigned website. The customer-focused new site features a wealth of information about the company, their operations, and their products.

“This new site offers improved functionality and a streamlined design that will allow our customers and potential customers to find the information they need about our services and capabilities,” said Eric Bansch, Vice President of Great Lakes Castings. “The layout has been updated for ease of use and now provides a clearer view of our capabilities. This new site features company history, as well as detailed information about our Hunter and Disamatic machines, our green sand molding processes, and the cored castings we produce.”

The new site simplifies the process of finding information about Great Lakes Castings by dividing all the information into four overall segments. The Our Company, Our Products, and Our Processes segments feature information about how Great Lakes Castings serves its customers. The Resources segment includes helpful articles for potential customers on what to consider when buying castings, the benefits of castings, and how to select the best castings vendor, as well as a links page connecting potential customers to more information about castings.

Great Lakes Castings is a leading supplier of gray iron castings with a large foundry in Ludington, Michigan and a finishing facility in Holland, Michigan. The company specializes in iron castings for the air conditioning, automotive aftermarket, compressor, construction, farm, heating, pump, refrigeration, and valve industries.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Great Lakes Castings Brings Added Value to Customers with Lean Manufacturing 
Gray Iron Castings Company Meets Customers Demands by Going Lean

LUDINGTON, MI (February 21, 2006) — Great Lakes Castings Corporation, a leading supplier of gray iron castings, brings value to customers who are working with lean manufacturing by providing castings in smaller quantities and with shorter lead times than foreign competitors.

“We are equipped to do fast set-up times, which allows us to perform short runs,” said Robert Killips, President of Great Lakes Castings Corporation. “Having the ability to perform short runs means we can help when a customer only needs enough castings to finish a job, and our location here in the US means we can ship to our customers sooner.”

Great Lakes Castings embraces the principles of lean manufacturing, unlike many companies in the gray iron casting industry. This gives Great Lakes a competitive edge in the gray iron market. Many of Great Lakes Castings’ customers use lean manufacturing principles because of the significant efficiencies. Customers can react quickly to the market without increasing inventory by allowing product to flow through the system, from supplier directly to their customers, saving inventory levels, time and resources.

Great Lakes Castings Corporation is a leading supplier of gray iron castings with a large foundry in Ludington, Michigan and a finishing facility in Holland, Michigan. The company specializes in iron castings for the air conditioning, automotive aftermarket, compressor, construction, farm, heating, pump, refrigeration, and valve industries.

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