Expansion is the only way out of this Crisis

The last few days of 2025 are approaching; now is the time to reminisce about the year. Whereas 2025 was a high point in my personal life, for the foundry industry and Casting-Campus, it was not an easy year.

The year started well. I was involved in many new development projects. As summer approached, the decline in volumes triggered a series of events. Projects were canceled, paused, or moved to other parts of the world. Additionally, the typical crisis management protocol kicked in by reducing external costs, which, of course, included consultants like Casting-Campus.

However, interest in Rheocasting remains undiminished. That was visible in the Rheocasting Masterclass, which started for the first time after the summer break. 20 People from 9 countries signed up and completed the course. Btw, the next Rheocasting Masterclass begins in February, and there are still available seats.

By the end of the year, the outlook had worsened. This changed the atmosphere in the industry. OEMs, Tier 1s, and Foundries became indecisive, not taking decisions on how to move forward. Clearly, that is not true for every company.

The current Multi-Crisis in our Industry

The indecisiveness is not a sign that our industry is incapable of taking decisions; it is a new situation that has never existed before. In the past, when there was a global crisis, the volume dropped, but when the situation improved, people bought the same cars and therefore the identical castings. This time it is different. EVs have half as many castings as a car with a combustion engine. These castings require different machine sizes and properties.

On the other hand, there is an armada of new car companies knocking at our doors. They offer better infotainment and ADAS systems for half the price of a comparable European car. That change further decreases the volumes.

The cost basis of a foundry stays nearly unchanged when the volume drops. Additionally, the salary increases to cover inflation and energy costs made the balance sheet even worse.

And the last point is that our industry is lacking the influx of new talent that it needs to sustain into the future. The average age of a German foundry is 47. 20% of the employees retire within the next 5 years.

There is only one way out

In every crisis, the only way out is expansion. Increasing the revenue by increasing the customer base. But in an industry that never needed business development, as castings have always been served via portals, it is especially detrimental, as the foundries never learned to build new customers outside the automotive industry. At the same time, the automotive purchases build up a system that works by commodizing casting and giving it to the cheapest supplier.

If you’re a foundry that has no presence outside these portals, you’re invisible. You’re a line item in the comparison chart and can be easily replaced. However, if you build up an online as well as an offline presence, you won’t find new customers or new employees.

That is why building a brand around your company is the way forward to expand your business in times of crisis, like this one. As a brand, you have a voice, you have influence, and you reach your target audience long before they become a customer.

Content marketing is the key to this challenge, and it is the most fun you can have in our industry. However, you need a strategy and the manpower to execute it. And you probably also need external support, since you don’t have years to figure out how it works by yourself.

Let’s talk at the Euroguss about how Casting-Campus can help you build your brand and reach your ideal customers with content marketing that resonates.

Have a great start to 2026, and I’m looking forward to seeing you in Nürnberg at the Euroguss! Stop by booth 153 in hall 5!