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Non-Ferrous Founders’ Society History
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Established in 1943, the Non-Ferrous Founders’ Society (NFFS) is the principal North American Trade association representing aluminum, brass, and bronze foundries and ingot manufacturers.
NFFS member foundries utilize virtually every casting process, including: sand; permanent mold; investment; continuous cast; centrifugal; and die-casting. The principal metals cast in most non-ferrous foundries are aluminum and copper-alloys (brass & bronze), however some non-ferrous foundries may also pour magnesium, zinc, and other non-ferrous materials.
In 1996, NFFS published an ISO9000 quality system designed specifically for metalcasters. Dubbed NQS9000, the program was an immediate success and today is assisting over 85 US metalcasters with ISO9000 quality systems. NFFS also developed a quality system registrar to provide low cost QMS registration services for the cast metal industry known by the acronym NQSR (NFFS Quality Systems Registrar). NQSR is a business division of the Non-Ferrous Founders Society (NFFS).
Today, NQSR is the second largest registrar of metal casters in the USA, and NQSR is the only registrar that focuses exclusively on the cast metals industry.
Here are some basic but important facts about non-ferrous foundries that often go unrecognized.
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The foundry industry has played an important role in the history of American progress, invention, and innovation. Although the art of making castings is quite old, non-ferrous castings have been part of nearly every new technological development since the industrial revolution.
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Non-ferrous foundries are Creating America’s Solid Tomorrow. Though you might not recognize them, there are non-ferrous castings in your home, your backyard, your office, and everywhere you go. They’re found everywhere from your kitchen sink and household appliances and electronic gear to the engine, drive train, and interior of your automobile.
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There are non-ferrous foundries in almost every state, producing component parts that are used in virtually every other manufacturing industry.
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The industry is comprised mainly of small businesses. There are currently nearly 2,000 non-ferrous foundries in operation in the U. S. and Canada, and of those, less than 1% fail to meet the U.S. government definition of a small business. In fact, more than 1,600 of these companies have fewer than 100 employees.
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Collectively, non-ferrous foundries employ more than 200,000 people, contribute more than $15 billion to the Gross National Product, and produce more than 100,000 distinct products.
The majority of non-ferrous foundries aren’t part of some corporate conglomerate. Most are privately held companies - many are family-run businesses, some owned and operated by the same family for several generations.
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The non-ferrous foundries annually recycle millions of tons of scrap metal into useful components without which America's great production engine would come to a grinding halt. The reuse of these materials saves natural resources and decreases the amount of materials that would otherwise go to landfills.
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Though they are heavily regulated, foundries have a healthy respect for the safety and health of their employees and for the environment. Non-ferrous foundries are responsible neighbors and a valued source of employment in their local communities.
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