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NovaCast Merges Two Subsidiaries Marketing to Foundries

March 16, 2009
New business unit combines CGI, simulation technologies
NovaCast Technologies AB is combining two subsidiaries, NovaCast Foundry Solutions AB (NFS) and Graphyte AB, in a bid to broaden its range of products and services to foundries worldwide. The consolidated company — called NovaCast Foundry Solutions AB — will develop and market “software, services, and solution-oriented total concepts,” to foundries. Foundries have been the target market for both NovaCast Foundry Solutions AB and Graphyte AB, but each subsidiary has been active in different business areas, too: NovaCast Foundry Solutions AB supplies metalcasting technology with simulation software and process control programs; and Graphyte AB supplies automotive companies with system solutions for “effective serial production” of compacted graphite iron (CGI) castings. ”The unexplored market potential is still very large,” according to Peter Vomacka, the new group’s chief executive officer. “With a more collected marketing organization, a broader product portfolio, a few important novelties, and more solution-oriented sales we should be able to reach considerably more foundries.” Vomacka is the former sales manager for Graphyte AB, and holds a Ph.D. in material technology. Rudolf Silln, the founder of NovaCast who retired at the end of 2008, remains with the group as a senior consultant. NovaCast Technologies AB CEO Hans Svensson contends that merging the two groups will create a more efficient global marketing strategy.”There is an obvious trend among foundries to optimize their production processes and make them more efficient by utilizing the possibilities offered in modern software solutions,” according to Svensson. “At the same time it is a traditional industry in which the step towards new technologies can be conceived as both big and complicated. By offering customers a closer, solution-oriented cooperation we wish to help a larger number of foundries to more readily take the step towards our group solutions.” Svensson said the group has realized new opportunities for its CGI technologies following its introduction of Graphyte 350, a CGI material he says has “just as good as or even better machining properties than grey iron.” Likewise, the company’s 2008 introduction of a new version of the NovaFlow&Solid CV simulation package has been well received. “The package is ten times faster than the previous version,” according to Svensson.