The event also enabled the global foundry industry to be represented in the United States in April at the WFO Annual General Assembly held as part of this action.

The biannual WFO Technical Forum is a conference supported by the WFO and hosted by a member country to coincide with their own National Conference. Taking over from India in 2023, the new edition took place in the city of Atlanta (Georgia, United States) in conjunction with CastExpo 2025 and counting with the cooperation and great support of AFS (American Foundry Society). The 6,000 estimated attendees at CastExpo 2025 represent a broad spectrum of metal industry professionals, including owners, CEOs, managers and technical staff, as well as suppliers from around the world.

An opening keynote address by the WFO started the WFO sessions under its Forum, this “allowed attendees to identify some of the keys of the actual global situation to support their navigation through this complex moment , deepening also into some global uncertainties and some actual facts affecting the metalcasting market, including new and accelerated challenges,” in words of the WFO General Secretary José Javier González. Following this presentation and in conjunction with the CastExpo programme the WFO Forum offered specific sessions on Cast Iron, Aluminum, Molding and Engineering. 

The Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta was also the venue to host a WFO Executive meeting and the annual WFO General Assembly, where delegates from all over the world discussed some important points and approved the new plans and budget for 2026. Both meetings were presided by Professor Yanchun Lou from China as the WFO President, and Bradford D. Muller (Vice President, Corporate Communications at Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company, USA)  was unanimously confirmed by the international delegates as a new elected WFO Executive.

In addition to these actions, the WFO held some meetings in Atlanta with international representatives for advancing some ongoing agreements, including important contacts for the next World Foundry Summit in France and a meeting with Messe Düsseldorf GIFA managers.

Evaluating future developments for young talent promotion

One of the hottest topics for the foundry industry is the access to new skilled people and this was also part of the planned actions in the event. The WFO organized a meeting between representatives from European universities and centers along with professors from FEF (Foundry Educational Foundation), where they analyzed the connection between some existing national young talent promotion programmes and the global actions led by the WFO.

“We planned an exchange of ideas in Atlanta as a way to improve our global efforts to give a WFO answer to this need. The meeting was really successful as we have now some new guidelines for the near future, we are excited to put those ideas into practice,” details the WFO General Secretary.
International delegates present at the event also took part in the last stages of some exciting programmes for the promotion of young talent, likewise the IJMC/FEF Student Research Competition, the Casting Dreams Competition and the SFSA Cast in Steel.

WFO Jozef Suchy Medal Award to Denny Dotson (USA)

The American Foundry Society Annual Banquet presided by Angela Schmeisser and counting with a prominent audience from the American industry was the setting for the ceremony where the WFO General Secretary handed out this special recognition to Mr Denny Dotson.

The object of the Jozef Suchy Medal is to encourage and reward efforts made by exceptional people within the member associations to impart knowledge to others involved with the WFO, in memory of the outstanding contribution made by Jozef Suchy to the WFO.

Denny Dotson is a lifelong metalcaster and has served as president of both the American Foundry Society and the Ductile Iron Society. He has been chairman of Dotson Iron Castings until its sale to MacLean Power Systems in 2023. He has been an active member of the WFO, connecting his country with the global initiatives taking place,  with the goal of promoting the United States industry all around the world and contributing in an outstanding manner to the progress and development of the WFO itself. His role in the creation of the WFO Strategy Group laid the foundation for a new form of international cooperation and allowed the creation of new value for our industry like for example the World Foundry Summit for foundry CEOs.

“This award is one of the most emotional I have received, working with the WFO has been an honor,” expressed Mr Dotson after having received this award.

A successful event in Atlanta

Both the WFO and AFS have expressed their satisfaction with the final attendance to the actions planned under these joint events, highlighting also that this has been a great  opportunity to increase the connections between the global foundry business and the industry in the USA.

The CEO at American Foundry Society Doug Kurkul welcomed the successful cooperation between both organizations, expressing also that “we have many wonderful memories of CastExpo and the WFO World Technical Forum.”