Celebrating 40 Years of Investment Casting Excellence
November 2025
Franklin Precision Castings (FPC) celebrates 40 years of manufacturing precision investment castings. Since 1985, FPC has grown from a supplier of glass mold components into a diversified manufacturer serving the pumps & valves, steel, oil & gas, food processing, and defense industries.
Originally known as Franklin Bronze & Alloy Company, FPC holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating casting foundry in Pennsylvania. In 1978, John and Bob Barber purchased the business, then focused on nickel sand castings. After a fire destroyed the original plant in 1981, the Barbers, with the support of state and local redevelopment agencies, rebuilt from the ground up re-equipping the foundry and rehiring their dedicated workforce.
By 1985, FPC made its pivotal shift into investment casting when a mold shop manager sought a supplier capable of delivering glass mold parts in under four weeks. Bob Barber seized the opportunity, leveraging his metallurgical expertise to manufacture nickel guide rings, plungers, and baffles. Franklin’s proximity to glass mold shops in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio combined with its ability to deliver quality castings quickly cemented its reputation as a go-to supplier.
Guided by Bob’s entrepreneurial spirit, FPC continually reinvested in its operations adding state-of-the-art equipment, robotics, and in-house tooling and quickly earned a reputation for fast turnaround and high-quality castings.
In 2005, with support from Pennsylvania state and local grants, Franklin took another leap forward with a $7 million expansion. This investment included construction of a new building and installation of the first Shell-O-Matic robotic shelling system in the U.S., later followed by an upgraded second system to further boost capacity and efficiency.
As demand grew, Bob recognized the importance of diversifying beyond the glass industry. He led the company’s expansion into automotive, mining, and safety equipment markets, adding a second stainless-steel pouring center and refining gating systems to produce more complex, higher-performance castings.
“We proved ourselves in the glass industry by delivering quality castings fast,” says Bob Barber, founder and former owner of Franklin Bronze. “But I saw the risk of being too reliant on one market, so we began to expand into new sectors.”
In 2014, the company was acquired by Wall Colmonoy Corporation and rebranded in 2024 as Franklin Precision Castings to reflect its expanded capabilities and global market reach.
“Franklin’s glass container customers had long been supported by Wall Colmonoy through the supply of nickel powder alloys for molds,” states Bill Clark, Chairman & CEO. “We acquired Franklin to form a strategic partnership—uniting two companies committed to delivering advanced metallurgical solutions and high-performance specialty alloys. Franklin also complements our casting capabilities in the UK, and the acquisition continues to be successful.”
“We’ve grown from pouring our first investment castings to producing critical parts for industries we never imagined back then,” says Jeff Morgan, Tool Design Technician and 40-year FPC veteran. “What hasn’t changed is the pride we take in what we do.”
FPC continues to invest in automation and process improvements to deliver complex castings faster and with exceptional quality — a tradition it has upheld for four decades.
