August 2023 Volume 5

INDUSTRY NEWS

Canton Drop Forge held an Open House in June as it welcomed the public, retirees, employees, their families and other interested parties for community outreach and to exhibit its newly-installed 50,000-lb Erie steam hammer moved from Kropp Forge of Cicero, Illinois. Canton Drop Forge Showcases its “New” 50,000-lb Hammer at Open House By Dean M. Peters

affair so there were many spouses, children, and grandchildren in attendance. CDF made sure that the many children present would be entertained by having a petting zoo on hand, a couple of bouncy houses (good ones, too), fire truck and police cruisers, face painters, aerial drone photography, and plenty of cotton candy, ice cream, soft drinks, and picnic food to go around. Plant tours, in groups of about twenty, were one of the focal points of the day, and the enthusiasm for the extensive tour was high, as marked by the line to get on the tour. It was gratifying to witness the excitement of the attendees and to see lots of children enjoying themselves without a device screen in their hands. It was a rare and fulfilling sight making an impression on the kids and their families enjoying a day at an industrial site and in an industrial environment. Employees and retirees proudly showed their kids and grandchildren what they do at work, how forgings are made, and their part in it. But the real headline of the event was the showing of the newly installed 50,000-lb. Erie steam hammer that has been in production since April. This hammer was once in service at Kropp Forge in Cicero, Ill. (also a Park Ohio company), which ceased production about year ago. According to CDF’s president, Brad Ahbe, “This Canton Drop Forge’s newest forging cell went into operation a few months ago when it installed an Erie 50,000-lb. steam hammer that was moved from what used to be Kropp Forge of Cicero, Ill. Kropp Forge and CDF used to be competitors, but when Park Ohio acquired CDF in 2018 CDF’s new parent also owned Kropp Forge. Strategically, it made sense for these two hammer shops to work more closely together since they were now on the same team. In fact, CDF’s president, Brad Ahbe, also oversaw the operations at Kropp Forge after Park Ohio’s acquisition of CDF. Given the post-COVID economics of the time and the markets in which the hammer forgers operated, it was decided in 2020 that the assets of both forges would be adjusted and re-allocated; the 50,000-lb. Erie hammer at Kropp Forge, which had been in operation since 1952, would be moved to CDF’s facility in Ohio. Kropp Forge continued to operate until June 9, 2022, when production in Cicero ceased. CDF’s realignment with Kropp Forge was the beginning of “New” Erie 50,000-lb Steam Hammer Featured at CDF’s Open House

It was a bright, and sunny day in Canton, Ohio, on June 10, when Canton Drop Forge (CDF), a Park Ohio Company, opened its doors to the public for the first time since 2003, when CDF celebrated its 100th anniversary. By any measure, CDF’s Open House was a successful event on a beautiful day. An estimated 1,500 people attended the event, which ran from 10 am to 3 pm. Among the attendees were current employees, company retirees, interested citizens and invited guests, including key customers and suppliers. Most importantly, this was a family

The Erie 50,000-lb steam hammer at its new home at Canton Drop Forge. Courtesy of Canton Drop Forge.

FIA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2023 42