What a fantastic couple of days! On Thursday, September 10, and Friday, September 11, members, partners, and friends of the Pennsylvania Foundry Association (PFA) gathered in Wrightsville, PA, for our 2026 Annual Business Meeting. Hosted at Donsco Inc., the event was a tremendous success, filled with great fellowship, insightful discussions, and a shared dedication to the future of metalcasting.
Kicking Things Off: Tours and Networking
We began Thursday morning by checking in across the street at the Burning Bridge Tavern before heading out for our scheduled events. A major highlight of the day was the plant tour at Benton Foundry, where attendees got an up-close look at modern foundry operations and process innovations in action.
We reconvened Thursday evening upstairs in the “Lodge” at Burning Bridge Tavern for our opening reception. It provided the perfect casual setting to reconnect with longtime colleagues, welcome new faces, and catch up on industry developments over great food and drinks.
A Morning Packed with Insightful Sessions
On Friday morning, members met for a light breakfast before diving into a robust morning speaking agenda:
The State of Metalcasting: Justin Scott, President of the American Foundry Society (AFS), kicked off the presentations with an inspiring talk titled “Essential and Misunderstood: The Real State of Metalcasting,” underscoring the vital role our industry continues to play across manufacturing supply chains.
Workforce & Trade Partnerships: Dr. Kesha Morant Williams, VP of Academic Affairs at Thaddeus Stevens College, delivered an informative presentation addressing workforce development and strategies for building stronger trade partnerships to train the next generation of foundry talent.
Trade Policy Updates: Stephanie Salmon, VP at AFS, walked attendees through federal trade policy dynamics with her session, “Taking Stock of the Trump Trade Agenda – Implications for U.S. Metalcasters,” providing critical analysis of regulatory and tariff developments.
Risk & Safety Management: Kyle Hoffer, Director at EHD, rounded out our morning with a practical look into workers’ compensation and mitigating modern business risk.
Looking Ahead
By the time we adjourned at midday on Friday, our members left Wrightsville energized, informed, and equipped with actionable takeaways for their operations.
A sincere thank you to Donsco Inc. for hosting us, to Benton Foundry for opening their doors, to our featured speakers for sharing their expertise, and to every member who attended and made this gathering such a memorable success.
We look forward to seeing everyone at our upcoming events!