The new stainless steel investment casting plant built by Yamaha Marine Precision Propeller (YPPI) facility in Greenfield, IN, has reached its full production capacity, the company reported, fulfilling a two-year project that shifts foundry activities to the new site and repurposes the Ritter, IN, plant for post-casting and finishing operations.
The highly automated and robotized operation is increasing casting volume by 67% and reducing lead-times, YPPI indicated, with a stated output of 100,000 propellers to be produced annually. It is said to be among the largest stainless-steel investment casting plants in the world.
More than 30 new workers will be added to staff the new operations through the end of 2021, giving YPPI just over 200 employees at the two sites.
Yamaha Marine supplies U.S. dealers and boat builders with marketing, training, and parts for Yamaha Marine outboard motors. It acquired Precision Propellers Inc. in 2008 and started construction for the new, 55,000-sq.ft building in July 2019. It plans to expand manufacturing at the 28-acre plant site in the future.
“Yamaha built the Greenfield facility with additional capacity in mind – not only to meet today’s demand, but tomorrow’s as well,” according to YPPI plant manager Batuhan Ak. “As key customers of many vendors that supply U.S.-sourced products, we’ve been at the forefront of receiving the raw materials we needed to keep up the pace.”
He called the propellers “part of the integrated systems that boats need today, and the new facility gives us the opportunity to leverage more efficient manufacturing technologies that increase quality while decreasing manufacturing costs.”