AMERICAN Invests in New Technology to Increase Capacity and Sustainability

AMERICAN Cast Iron Pipe Company is investing $285 million over the next four years as it upgrades its ductile iron pipe operations to electric-powered furnaces, a more sustainable and flexible process with more pipe-making capacity.

AMERICAN’s Next Generation Melt Project will replace its current single cupola furnace with four coreless induction furnaces. The electric-melt technology is estimated to reduce the facility’s CO2e emissions by 62% and melting/holding process CO2e emissions by 95%, as the company is able to source energy from cleaner and renewable sources.

This project was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) for up to $75 million in funding in 2024. AMERICAN has received an award of $4.2 million for phase 1, the first of four phases. This will offset AMERICAN’s phase 1 costs of $15.8 million.

“Upgrades will help us retain higher paying jobs and increase our melting capacity by 25% to meet customers’ growing demands for AMERICAN’s products in the water and wastewater markets,” said Scott Murphy, AMERICAN Chief Financial Officer and project co-lead.

The Next Gen Melt Project will be among the first in the ductile iron pipe industry to use this electric-melt technology on this scale. “This technology will revolutionize the way ductile iron pipe is produced,” said Joe Thomas, AMERICAN senior vice president of Engineering and project co-lead. “This technology can be replicated throughout the industry to provide lower-carbon footprint piping for municipal water systems to replace America’s aging water infrastructure.”

OCED’s mission is to deliver clean energy demonstration projects at scale in partnership with the private sector to accelerate deployment, market adoption and the equitable transition to a decarbonized energy system. Visit energy.gov/oced to learn more.

Founded in 1905 in Birmingham, Alabama, AMERICAN manufactures ductile iron pipe, spiral-welded steel pipe, valves and hydrants for the waterworks industry and steel pipe for the energy and carbon capture industries. The company’s diversified product line also includes fire pumps, structural casings and pilings, castings for large machinery and specialty rubber products. Visit american-usa.com to learn more.