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The FEF Honorary cupola pour in action
GK News

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General Kinematics Attends FEF Honorary Cupola Pour

 by General Kinematics,

GKC Headquarters, Crystal Lake, IL – This past Friday night, October 21st, 2016, General Kinematics’ VP of Technical Services, Randy Smith, attended a spectacular event – the FEF Honorary Cupola Pour at UW-Platteville outside the Industrial Technology building, Pioneer Tower. Representing GK, Mr. Smith presented our financial contribution to the Key Professor Foundation at UW-Platteville.

This event was special as it celebrated the successful implementation, the first of its kind in the UW system, for a Key Professor Position for the Industrial Studies Program at UW-Platteville. The sponsorship for the program was kicked off by a very wonderful contribution of $1,000,000 by Waupaca Foundry. Numerous other contributions were placed by casting industry organizations and individuals related to the foundry industry. This endowment will be administered by the FEF to provide perpetual funding for the Industrial Studies program Key Professor Position at UW-Platteville.

Dennis J. Shields (Chancellor at UW-P), The Vice Chancellor, The Dean of the College of Business and Industrial Studies and other dignitaries spoke at the opening event. Waupaca Foundry, Neenah Foundry, Olsen Aluminum, Tinker Omega, students from UW Milwaukee, lots of UW-P Industrial Technology Alumni (now well ingrained within the casting industry in leadership positions) as well as other interested parties were in attendance. A surprise attendee was retired UW-P faculty Alumni Dr. Roger Hauser, who started with UW-Platteville in 1966 in the Industrial Studies Program. Dr. Hauser was Instrumental in getting UW-Platteville established as an educational institution fully chartered by the Foundry Education Foundation and worked feverishly in the interest of getting students connected to the foundry industry for employment opportunities.

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Folks traveled to Platteville from as far as New Zealand. The Cupola Pour event began at 5:00pm and lasted late into the evening. UW-Platteville industrial Studies Students organized the event with working examples of foundry operations including pattern design, Cupola design and operation, pouring, cleaning and sand molding. One highlight of the pour was the pouring of molten metal into the Pumpkin Pour Pyramid designed for a spectacular shower of sparks and flowing hot metal from pumpkin to pumpkin. An exciting and enriching evening was had by all those in attendance.

General Kinematics recognizes the strong values instilled in students by the Engineering and Industrial Technologies programs at UW-Platteville. As such, GK has hired over 35 UW-P graduates over the years. General Kinematics has and continues to support UW-Platteville with equipment donations, advisory board position and other participation.

To learn more about General Kinematics, a major supplier of foundry, recycling, mining and processing equipment for customers around the world, visit www.generalkinematics.com.

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General Kinematics Corporation, incorporated in 1960, was established to market, design, and custom fabricate innovative vibratory equipment for the foundry, recycling, mining, and processing industries. Today the company continues as one of the world’s largest suppliers of vibratory processing equipment and has evolved into an industry-leading EPC firm. Headquartered in Crystal Lake, IL, General Kinematics has seven global locations providing engineering and support to a world-wide customer base. GK is a third generation, family-owned company and is ISO 9001 certified.