Olson Aluminum Castings
Olson Aluminum Castings is an American aluminum sand casting foundry based in Rockford, Illinois. Founded in 1945, the company specializes in green-sand and air-set molding, producing aluminum castings for industrial customers requiring superior machinability and surface finishes. The company is ISO 9001-registered and operates as a family-owned business.
History
Olson Aluminum Castings was founded in 1945 by Roy Olson, who began making patterns in his basement at 622 N. Rockford Ave. in Rockford, Illinois. By 1952, the growing operation moved to East Magnolia Street, and later to West Magnolia Street, expanding across four buildings to meet increasing demand.
In the early 1960s, the company cast its first part for Twin Disc, beginning a customer relationship that continues to the present day. In 1966, Olson Aluminum completed its first casting for Greenlee, similarly establishing a long-running partnership. Don Olson, Roy's oldest son, joined the company in 1963, followed by his brother Ray Olson in 1965 during a period of rapid expansion.
Roy Olson passed away in 1968, leaving Ray and Don to lead the company. During the 1970s, the brothers purchased land and constructed the current facility at 2135 15th Street in Rockford. By that time the company employed approximately 25 people.
In 1986, Ray Olson developed a solution to a mast arm mounting hardware problem for an industry contact, creating a cast aluminum bracket using a band clamp design. This product became the foundation of Sky Bracket, a separate product line manufactured within the foundry. By 1992, Sky Bracket had expanded its offerings to include cable clamps.
In 1995, Ray's son Tad Olson joined the business, representing the third generation of family leadership. In 2006, Tad became President and sole shareholder. Under his leadership, the foundry added an air-set molding line in 2010, acquired an adjacent building in 2014 to support Sky Bracket's growth, and completed a 10,000-square-foot expansion in 2019, by which time the company employed approximately 75 people. In 2022, OAC acquired an additional building to further expand manufacturing capability.
The company celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2025. Olson Aluminum Castings serves customers across industries including hydraulics, marine, off-road vehicles, medical instrumentation, and machine tools. The foundry incorporates sustainability practices including recycling of green sand, reuse of core sand, and re-melting of aluminum scrap to minimize waste.
Products and Services
Olson Aluminum Castings produces custom aluminum sand castings using green-sand and air-set molding processes. The foundry serves industrial customers requiring:
• High machinability aluminum castings • Superior surface finish quality • Pressure-tight and leak-free components • Complex geometries produced through sand casting methods
The company holds ISO 9001 certified, reflecting its commitment to quality management systems in manufacturing.
Workforce Development
Olson Aluminum Castings has been recognized for its approach to structured workforce development in the metalcasting industry. The company operates a 500-hour Summer Internship Program in which participants take full ownership of a casting project from design feasibility through production, rotating through each major operational area of the foundry including coremaking, molding, melting, pouring, and finishing.Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag[1]
Industry Recognition
Olson Aluminum Castings has been featured in industry trade publications including Foundry Magazine and Modern Casting, a publication of the American Foundry Society, for its manufacturing practices and workforce development programs.[2]
References
- ↑ "Rockford companies busy but fear a bursting bubble". Rockford Register Star. July 2, 2012.
- ↑ "Modern Casting" (PDF). American Foundry Society. August 2012.
External links
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