blue ridge pressure casting manufactures aluminum die casts for clients such as cummins, gm and caterpillar.

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For 63-year-old Blue Ridge Pressure Casting Inc., the key to its success is due to consistency in its work, Vice President of Operations Andy Behler says. “We’re in it for the long haul, not for the short term,” he says, explaining the company focuses strongly on the quality of its products and customer service.   

Based in Lehighton, Pa., the aluminum die casting company was founded by Tom Wilson, a former research scientist for the New Jersey Zinc Co. “He started the company in 1946, primarily doing brass die castings,” Behler says. “The company [later] branched out into aluminum and zinc in the mid-’90s.”   

Since then, the company stopped producing brass and zinc die casting to focus on aluminum. Although brass die casting was a strong niche for it for years, Blue Ridge watched its market shift more toward lightweight materials like aluminum. Aluminum also is safer for the environment. “We were concerned with the environmental ramifications of doing copper-based alloys with lead content,” Behler says. “We didn’t want to jeopardize ourselves with any environmental issues.”   

Today, the majority of Blue Ridge’s work consists of complex parts for repeat clients, including
General Motors, Caterpillar, Allison Transmission Inc., Cummins Inc., Mack Trucks and Volvo. In addition, the Behler family owns the company and has been involved with its management “since day one,” Behler says.   

His grandfather, Allen Behler, originally was hired to oversee the company’s operations as a manager. “Our ownership started in 1967, when my father, [Donald Behler], purchased the shares from the original founder,” Behler says. “There’s a certain satisfaction in taking liquid metal and coming up with a finished part in a reasonably quick time frame. It’s something that becomes part of what you are.”   

Blue Ridge strives to stay up to date with technology and the training of its people. “Obviously, that’s an important key to success,” Behler says. “You can’t win a race with an old race car. I think it’s a big part in keeping our labor competitive.”   

“If we’re going to be a producer, we need to have some advantages,” he says, noting that the company utilizes vision systems, robotics and machining cells, which have automation conveyors from FlexLink Systems Inc. “They’re a player that’s helped us in coming up with methods to produce a very high-quality and efficient product.”  

Updating equipment also plays a part in ensuring safety, Behler says. “We’ve been very progressive in keeping our plant modified and updated,” he says, noting that the company also provides ongoing safety training. “Without that awareness and training, the best equipment in the world is not effective.”

Branching Out
To cope with the current economy, Blue Ridge has focused on diversifying. “We brought in the Manufacturing Resource Center, [a] state-run program that helps manufacturers in the state of Pennsylvania,” Behler says. The center helped the company develop a plan to target new markets, such as recreational and small engine vehicles, and small farm equipment.   

“These are all markets that use aluminum die cast products and use them well, [but] we’re not heavily involved in [them] at this point,” he says, noting that Blue Ridge’s expansion programs will have a long lead time. “It’s always difficult to see how fast those things will come to fruition.”   

Behler says the company also plans to stay a niche producer of complex aluminum die cast parts, with modest annual growth. “Our plan is to continue the process which is effective – we’re not looking to be the largest, but [the] best.”

An ‘Effective’ Association
Blue Ridge takes the time to participate in industry organizations, Behler says. “The primary industry organization, which has been very effective to us [is the] North American Die Casting Association. I’m currently on the board.”   

The Wheeling, Ill.-based organization provides education and training programs. “They have a marketing arm, which works in the development of marketing die casting in general,” he says. “They also have a research arm which continues to enhance the die casting process.”