EJ Americas LLC is breaking ground on a new foundry in Michigan to replace its old facility. The original East Jordan foundry was established in 1883 along the Northern Michigan shoreline. East Jordan Iron Works and several international affiliates began using the common brand name EJ in 2012.
Since September 2016, the company began to seek tax incentives for a new site near the old facility in Northern Michigan. By late 2016, the Warren Township had approved plans to place the foundry in an industrial park that would allow the tax abatement to be granted. The old facility will remain in full operation until production begins in the new facility as the workforce will be transferred.
The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality authorized air permits in late April that initiate the projects’ proposed installation and operation of the gray and ductile iron foundry. EJ plans to break ground on the facility in May with planned completion of the project by the end of 2018. Full production is anticipated at the new facility by late spring 2019. The new foundry is to be powered by electricity and use “smart technology” for its operations.
EJ business operations including the company’s headquarters, pattern shop, product design group, water product facility and Northern Michigan sales office will remain at the original site.
The company has branches across the country and foundries in Europe, China and Australia that supply infrastructure products to 150 countries.