Trends in the Production of Castings in the World and in Poland in the XXI Century

Global Casting Trends: Analyzing a 15-Year Shift Towards Aluminum & Lightweighting

This technical summary is based on the academic paper "Trends in the Production of Castings in the World and in Poland in the XXI Century" by M.S. Soiński, P. Kordas, and K. Skurka, published in Archives of Foundry Engineering (2016).

Keywords

• Primary Keyword: Global Casting Trends
• Secondary Keywords: Foundry Production Analysis, Aluminum Casting Growth, Automotive Casting Market, Ductile Iron vs Aluminum, Poland Foundry Industry

Executive Summary

• The Challenge: To understand the major strategic shifts in global casting production volumes, materials, and geographic centers over the first 15 years of the 21st century.
• The Method: The research analyzes 15 years of global and Polish foundry census data (2000-2014) from 'Modern Casting' to identify long-term production trends.
• The Key Breakthrough: The data reveals a massive geographical shift in production to Asia (now 70% of the market) and a decisive material shift away from grey cast iron towards ductile iron and, most critically for HPDC, aluminum alloys.
• The Bottom Line: The global casting industry has fundamentally transformed, with demand for lightweight aluminum castings growing significantly, a trend that directly impacts strategic planning for automotive, electronics, and aerospace component manufacturing.

The Challenge: Why This Research Matters for HPDC Professionals

For decades, the foundry industry has been the bedrock of manufacturing, supplying essential components to nearly every major sector. However, the landscape is not static. To remain competitive, engineers, R&D managers, and procurement specialists must understand the macro-level shifts occurring in the market. Key questions include: Which regions are dominating production? Which materials are gaining favor, and which are in decline?

This research was undertaken to provide a clear, data-driven picture of these changes. By analyzing production data from 2000 to 2014, the study identifies the dominant trends that define the modern casting industry. For HPDC professionals, who primarily work with non-ferrous alloys like aluminum and magnesium, these findings are critical for strategic alignment, supply chain management, and anticipating future customer demand, particularly from the automotive sector.

The Approach: Unpacking the Methodology

This study is a comprehensive analysis of global foundry production data compiled over a 15-year period, from 2000 to 2014. The authors did not conduct a new experiment but instead performed a detailed review and synthesis of annual industry census data.

The primary data sources were the annual "Census of World Casting Production" reports published by the journal 'Modern Casting' (cited in the paper as references [5-19]). The analysis focused on:
- Total Production Volume: Tracking the year-over-year growth in tonnes for the world and for Poland.
- Geographic Distribution: Comparing the market share of different continents and leading countries in 2000 versus 2014.
- Material Structure: Examining the changing production shares of key casting alloys, including grey iron, ductile iron, cast steel, and aluminum alloys.

By using the year 2000 as a baseline, the researchers were able to quantify the profound changes that occurred in the industry over the subsequent decade and a half.

The Breakthrough: Key Findings & Data

The 15-year analysis revealed several dramatic shifts in the global foundry landscape. The two most significant findings concern the geographic concentration of production and the evolution of material demand.

Finding 1: A Decisive Geographic Shift from West to East

The center of global casting production has moved definitively to Asia. As shown in Figure 1, Asia's share of the world's foundry production skyrocketed from 47% in 2000 to 70% in 2014. This growth came at the expense of traditional industrial powers.

• North America's share fell from 24% to just 12%.
• Europe's share decreased from 25% to 15%.
• China emerged as the undisputed world leader, increasing its market share from 16.92% to an astonishing 44.58% (Table 1).
• In contrast, the USA's share was halved, dropping from 20.28% to 10.10% over the same period (Table 1).

Finding 2: The Rise of Aluminum and Decline of Grey Iron

The data shows a clear and sustained trend away from traditional ferrous castings and towards modern, lightweight alloys. This is particularly evident in the changing shares of specific materials in the global production mix.

• Grey Iron, while still the largest single category, saw its share of global production fall significantly from 52.56% in 2000 to 45.79% in 2014 (Table 2).
• Aluminum Alloys experienced robust growth, increasing their share from 12.43% to 15.66% globally. The trend in Poland was even more dramatic, with aluminum alloys surging from just 6.63% of national production in 2000 to 32.13% in 2014 (Table 2).
• Ductile Iron also saw its global share increase from 20.24% to 24.15%, indicating a move towards higher-performance ferrous materials.
• Malleable Iron is in decline, with its global share falling from 1.53% to 0.87%.

Practical Implications for R&D and Operations

• For Process Engineers: This study suggests that the industry-wide growth in aluminum castings will increase the demand for expertise in non-ferrous casting processes like HPDC. Optimizing cycle times, die life, and thermal management for aluminum alloys is becoming a more critical skill set than ever.
• For Quality Control Teams: The data in Table 2 illustrates the effect of market demand on material choice. As customers increasingly specify aluminum for lightweighting, quality teams must ensure their inspection criteria and NDT methods are optimized for detecting defects common to aluminum castings, which differ from those in ferrous parts.
• For Design Engineers: The findings indicate that the market is rewarding designs that leverage the benefits of lightweight alloys. The dramatic growth in aluminum production (Table 2) suggests that designing components specifically for the HPDC process is a valuable strategy for meeting the demands of major sectors like automotive.

Paper Details

Trends in the Production of Castings in the World and in Poland in the XXI Century

1. Overview:

• Title: Trends in the Production of Castings in the World and in Poland in the XXI Century
• Author: M.S. Soiński, P. Kordas, K. Skurka
• Year of publication: 2016
• Journal/academic society of publication: ARCHIVES of FOUNDRY ENGINEERING
• Keywords: Foundry production, Cast iron, Cast steel, Aluminium alloys, Non-ferrous alloys

2. Abstract:

The paper presents data concerning the total production of castings over the 2000-2014 period, both on a global scale, and in Poland. The basic types of casting alloys were taken into account. Changes in the production volume and structure over the period of the analysed 15 years were pointed out with respect to countries leading in foundry production. The topmost position in the world foundry industry is held by China for several years (with almost 45% share in the foundry market), the second place is taken by India (with almost 9% share). A distinct reduction in the shares of the once significant producers of castings, such as USA, Japan, Germany, Russia, Italy, or France, was observed over the 2000-2014 period. Poland had a share of 1.16% in 2000, and of 1.02% in 2014. Comparing the detailed data concerning the years 2000 and 2014, one can see that the fractions of castings made of ductile iron, cast steel, aluminium alloys, or magnesium alloys increase on a global scale, while such alloys as grey cast iron or malleable are in decline.

3. Introduction:

Castings are produced for many thousand years [1]. Metals and alloys used for their production, as well as casting technologies, changed over the time, but cast items invariably accompanied man and had to meet his consistently growing demands. Therefore the production of castings plays an important part both in the global and in the national economy. Nowadays the main recipient of the foundry production is the automotive industry, but castings find application also in other branches of industry, in civil engineering, in farming, in medicine, and can as well serve as art products. The global foundry production volume, along with the structure of production with respect to the types of applied alloys reported in countries taking the leading positions on the foundry market, both considered over some longer period of time, make possible to determine current trends in the foundry industry.

4. Summary of the study:

Background of the research topic:

The production of castings is a fundamental part of the global and national economies, with the automotive industry being the main recipient. Understanding long-term trends in production volume, geographic distribution, and material usage is crucial for strategic planning within the foundry industry.

Status of previous research:

Previous papers had presented data on casting production up to the year 2013. This study extends the analysis to include the most recent available data from 2014 and uses the year 2000 as a consistent baseline for a 15-year comparison.

Purpose of the study:

The purpose was to analyze and present data on the total production of castings from 2000-2014 on a global scale and specifically in Poland. The study aimed to identify changes in production volume and structure (by alloy type) to determine current trends in the foundry industry, highlighting which countries and materials are gaining or losing importance.

Core study:

The core of the study is a comparative analysis of foundry production census data from the years 2000 and 2014. It examines total tonnage, market share by country and continent, and the percentage breakdown of production by major alloy types (grey iron, ductile iron, aluminum alloys, etc.).

5. Research Methodology

Research Design:

The study employs a longitudinal, descriptive research design based on a quantitative analysis of secondary data. It compares two specific points in time (2000 and 2014) and tracks year-over-year changes to identify trends.

Data Collection and Analysis Methods:

Data was collected from 15 consecutive annual "Census of World Casting Production" reports published in 'Modern Casting' magazine from 2001 to 2015 (covering the years 2000-2014). The analysis involved calculating percentage changes, market shares, and average annual growth rates for total production and for specific alloy categories.

Research Topics and Scope:

The scope covers global casting production and specific data for Poland. The topics include total production volume, production by continent and leading countries, and the structural breakdown of production by alloy type (grey iron, ductile iron, malleable iron, cast steel, copper-based alloys, aluminum alloys, magnesium alloys, zinc alloys, and other non-ferrous alloys).

6. Key Results:

Key Results:

• Global casting production grew by approximately 60% from 64.75 million tonnes in 2000 to 103.64 million tonnes in 2014.
• Asia's share of global production increased from 47% to 70%, while Europe's and North America's shares declined to 15% and 12%, respectively.
• China became the dominant producer, increasing its market share from 16.9% to 44.6%. The USA's share fell from 20.3% to 10.1%.
• On a global scale, the share of aluminum alloy castings grew from 12.43% to 15.66%.
• The share of grey cast iron castings declined globally from 52.56% to 45.79%.
• In Poland, the shift to aluminum was even more pronounced, with its share of national production growing from 6.63% to 32.13%.

Figure Name List:

• Fig. 1. The structure of the foundry production in years 2000 and 2014 with respect to continents [5, 19]
• Fig. 2. Global production of castings over the years 2000-2014 and the fractions of basic cast alloys in the production volume [5-19]
• Fig. 3. Production of castings in Poland over the years 2000-2014 and the fractions of basic cast alloys in the production volume [5-19]
• Fig. 4. Indices of foundry production growth over the years 2000-2014 (the data from the year 2000 assumed as 100) [5-19]
• Fig. 5. The year-on-year changes in the foundry production volume over the years 2000-2014 [5-19]

7. Conclusion:

The production of castings on a global scale increased by about 60% over the 2000-2014 period, with an average annual growth rate over 3.4%. A distinct 'shift' in production from Europe and North America to Asia was observed, with Asia now accounting for about 70% of global production. China is the world leader with an almost 45% market share. The shares of once-large producers like the USA, Japan, Germany, and Russia dropped distinctly. A comparison of data from 2000 and 2014 reveals that the fractions of castings made of ductile iron or aluminum alloys are increasing both globally and in Poland, while grey cast iron and malleable iron are in decline. The year-on-year production dynamics for the world and Poland are generally similar, though a distinct drop in Polish production occurred in 2014, which was not seen in the overall global trend.

8. References:

• [1] Wübbenhorst, H. (1984). 5000 Jahre Giessen Von Metallen. Ed. VDG Giesserei – Verlag GmbH, Düsseldorf.
• [2] Soiński, M. S., Jakubus, A., Kordas, P., Skurka, K. (2015). Production of Castings in the World and in Selected Countries from 1999 to 2013. Archives of Foundry Engineering. Special Issue. 15 (1). 103-110.
• [3] Soiński, M. S., Skurka, K., Jakubus, A., Kordas, P. (2015). Structure of Foundry Production in the World and in Poland over the 1974-2013 Period. Archives of Foundry Engineering. Special Issue. 15 (2). 69-79.
• [4] Soiński, M. S., Skurka, K., Jakubus, A. (2015). Changes in the production of castings in Poland in the past half century in comparison with world trends. In: Selected Problems of the Industrial Process Technologies. Joint publication ed. by E. Kardas, M. Warzecha. Częstochowa University of Technology, Faculty of Production Engineering and Materials Technology. Częstochowa. Monograph No. 49. 71-79. (in Polish)
• [5] 35th Census of World Casting Production –2000. Modern Casting. December 2001. 38-39.
• [6] 36th Census of World Casting Production -2001. Modern Casting. December 2002. 22-24.
• [7] 37th Census of World Casting Production –2002. Modern Casting. December 2003. 23-25.
• [8] 38th Census of World Casting Production —2003. Modern Casting. December 2004. 25-27.
• [9] 39th Census of World Casting Production –2004. Modern Casting. December 2005. 27-29.
• [10] 40th Census of World Casting Production —2005. Modern Casting. December 2006. 28-31.
• [11] 41st Census of World Casting Production -2006. Modern Casting. December 2007. 22-25.
• [12] 42nd Census of World Casting Production —2007. Modern Casting. December 2008. 24-27.
• [13] 43rd Census of World Casting Production -2008. Modern Casting. December 2009. 17-21.
• [14] 44th Census of World Casting Production. Modern Casting. December 2010. 23-27.
• [15] 45th Census of World Casting Production. Modern Casting. December 2011. 16-19.
• [16] 46th Census of World Casting Production. Modern Casting. December 2012. 25-29.
• [17] 47th Census of World Casting Production. Dividing up the Global Market. Modern Casting. January/February 2014. 26-33.
• [18] 48th Census of World Casting Production. Steady Growth in Global Output. Modern Casting. December 2014. 17-21.
• [19] 49th Census of World Casting Production. Modest Growth in Worldwide Casting Market. Modern Casting. December 2015. 26-31

Expert Q&A: Your Top Questions Answered

Q1: The paper highlights the automotive industry as the main recipient of castings. How does this connect to the observed shift from grey iron to aluminum alloys?

A1: The paper states that "Nowadays the main recipient of the foundry production is the automotive industry." While the study doesn't explicitly detail the causes, this industry context is key. The significant growth in aluminum's share of production (from 12.43% to 15.66% globally, and up to 32.13% in Poland) strongly aligns with the automotive sector's push for vehicle lightweighting to improve fuel efficiency and performance. This implies that market demand, led by automotive, is a primary driver for the material shift.

Q2: Table 1 shows that while most traditional producers saw negative or low growth, China and India experienced massive average annual growth rates of 10.83% and 8.69%. What does this imply for global supply chains?

A2: This dramatic growth differential underscores the geographic realignment of the entire industry. The data in Table 1 and Figure 1 show that production capacity and volume have consolidated in Asia. For procurement specialists and R&D managers in North America and Europe, this means supply chains are longer and potentially subject to different geopolitical and logistical risks. It also highlights the immense scale and cost-competitiveness of foundries in China and India.

Q3: In Figure 4, Poland's production index shows much more volatility than the global index, especially with the sharp drop in 2014. What does the paper say caused this?

A3: The paper directly addresses this. In the conclusion, it notes that in 2014, "there occurred a drop in the foundry production to the level of the year 2012." It attributes this specifically to a "drop in the total production of castings – with the corresponding decrease in the production of castings made of this particular type of material [grey iron]." The data showed that grey iron production in Poland, after a spike in 2013, fell back significantly in 2014, causing the overall national output to decline.

Q4: Why was the year 2000 chosen as the baseline for this 15-year study?

A4: The paper states, "It was also considered as reasonable to assume the data from the year 2000, the end of the previous millennium, as a baseline for further comparisons." This choice provides a clear starting point at the beginning of the 21st century, allowing for a clean and comprehensive analysis of the trends that have shaped the industry in the new millennium without carrying over complexities from the late 20th century.

Q5: The data for magnesium alloys in Poland is listed as "data lacking" in Table 2. Why is this significant for the HPDC industry?

A5: While the paper doesn't have the data, the absence itself is noteworthy. Magnesium alloys are the lightest structural metals and are almost exclusively cast using the HPDC process, especially for automotive and electronics. The global data shows a near doubling of magnesium casting production (104k to 192k tonnes). The lack of specific tracking in Poland's data at the time may suggest it was a nascent or underreported market, representing a potential area for future growth as lightweighting demands intensify.

Conclusion: Paving the Way for Higher Quality and Productivity

This comprehensive analysis of Global Casting Trends from 2000 to 2014 provides a clear verdict: the industry has fundamentally shifted towards Asia and towards lightweight materials. The decline of grey iron and the corresponding rise of aluminum and ductile iron are not minor fluctuations but defining market movements driven by the demands of the automotive sector. For professionals in the HPDC industry, this is a confirmation that the future lies in mastering the production of complex, high-quality aluminum and magnesium components.

At CASTMAN, we are committed to applying the latest industry research to help our customers achieve higher productivity and quality. If the challenges discussed in this paper align with your operational goals, contact our engineering team to explore how these principles can be implemented in your components.

Copyright Information

• This content is a summary and analysis based on the paper "Trends in the Production of Castings in the World and in Poland in the XXI Century" by "M.S. Soiński, P. Kordas, K. Skurka".
• Source: https://doi.org/10.1515/afe-2016-0017

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