ME Elecmetal announced a $10 million expansion to its Duluth, Minn., foundry that will increase production capacity by 25% and add 30 permanent jobs, mostly in production. The company, which produces high-quality iron and steel castings for the mining industry, has outgrown its current capacity because of domestic and foreign demand. According to ME Elecmetal, this is the largest capital investment at the Duluth facility, which opened in the early 1980s and currently employs 150. The expansion project will begin this month and should be completed by fall.

ME Elecmetal, which is based in Chile and has two foundries there, owns and operates a plant in Tempe, Ariz. The 1- to 5-ton steel castings made at the Duluth foundry are used for grinding and crushing machinery, track pads for heavy mechanical shovels, and Space-Shuttle transporters.