In the recent years, despite increased foreign competition, the metal die casting industry expects a good amount of growth. The sales are expected to grow 14% in years to come and light metals will replace iron and steel castings, especially in transportation applications.
Particularly in the US metalcasting industry that has gone a dramatic transformation in last 2 decades because of advance technology, and government mandated regulations.
In other countries, notably China has grown much in metal casting as its estimated to be 12,000 foundries are presently working in the country. The distribution of foundries has spread in the eastern part of China such as Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong, Anhui, Jiangxi, Fujian. Other parts like Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Guandong, Guangxi, Hainan and Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi, Neimenggu have 22% and 17% spread of metal casting industry respectively.
The motor vehicle and mechanical engineering industries use 40-80% of iron castings and ductile iron castings, the percentage rises to 90% or more. Germany, France and the Netherland uses gray iron castings where it is more than 50%. The ductile iron castings, the share is highest in Portugal and Hungary of 68% and 73% respectively.
The European foundry is the third largest producer of ferrous die castings worldwide.
The major share of metal casting industry is claimed by the mechanical engineering industry.
In terms of ferrous casting, the gray iron casting dominates the industry with 50% share. In recent years, according to Urbat, competition among ferrous casting materials give a marked increase in the market share of ductile iron castings.