August 2026 Volume 8

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

E very successful forging begins long before it hits the hammer or press. It begins with the selection of the right material, the design and manufacture of the tooling, the condition of the equipment and the knowledge of

Technology is creating new opportunities as well. Artificial intelligence may help manufacturers identify process drift, improve maintenance decisions, optimize energy use and preserve valuable operational knowledge. However, as this issue explains, successful applications begin with a clearly defined plant problem—not with technology for technology’s sake. The goal should always be a safer, more consistent and more productive operation. None of these decisions takes place in isolation. Material, tooling and equipment supply chains are increasingly affected by tariffs, trade policy, geopolitical developments and government efforts to strengthen domestic manufacturing. Understanding where materials and machinery originate—and where vulnerabilities exist—has become a necessary part of operational and strategic planning. Although these articles cover different subjects, they share a common message: Long-term competitiveness depends on preparation, trusted partnerships and a willingness to continually evaluate how work is being done. As I officially move into my new role as FIA's President, my priority is to ensure that FIA continues helping members navigate these challenges. Through technical education, benchmarking, advocacy, industry events and opportunities to learn directly from one another, we remain committed to providing practical value that strengthens North American forging companies. I hope the ideas in this issue encourage conversations within your own facilities. Where are your most significant material or tooling risks? Which supplier relationships need to be strengthened? What knowledge needs to be captured? Where could better planning, data or technology improve performance? Thank you to the FIA members, committees, technical experts and industry partners who contributed their knowledge to this edition. Your willingness to share real experiences and practical solutions is what makes FIA Magazine a valuable resource for the entire forging community. Best regards,

the people responsible for the process. It also depends on decisions involving maintenance, suppliers, technology, inventory and increasingly complex global supply chains. That is why materials and tooling remain such an important focus for the forging industry. They influence quality, productivity, energy use, equipment uptime, delivery performance and ultimately a company’s ability to compete. This issue of FIA Magazine looks beyond the finished forging to examine many of the decisions and resources that make reliable production possible. Our contributors explore how the environment surrounding tooling production continues to evolve. Although familiar die steels remain essential, advances in cutting tools, carbide grades, coatings and machining strategies are changing how tooling is manufactured. At the same time, the cost and availability of carbide and other critical inputs are encouraging companies to reconsider sourcing strategies, inventories, recycling programs and supplier relationships. Those pressures reinforce an important lesson: Resilience is rarely created through one major investment. It is built through hundreds of disciplined decisions made throughout an operation. That includes taking the time to thoroughly inspect and understand equipment before beginning an upgrade or retrofit. Careful planning can identify worn components, long lead-time parts and potential problems before a scheduled project turns into extended, unplanned downtime. It also means asking better questions before purchasing equipment. Forging equipment represents a long-term commitment, and the right supplier should provide more than a machine. They should understand the realities of the forging environment and be prepared to support safety, integration, training, maintenance, troubleshooting and future improvements throughout the equipment’s service life.

Angela Gibian, CAE President Forging Industry Association

Editorial Staff

CHAIRPERSON Paul A. Spitz Vice President - Sales & Marketing | Unit Drop Forge Co. Inc. VICE CHAIRPERSON Jeff Krueger Exec. Dir. of Corp. Sales | Scot Forge Co. Robert R. Bolin President | GLAMA USA Inc. Mark Derry VP Operations | Portland Forge Board of Directors

Rick Egbert VP & CFO | Carbo Forge, Inc. David Alexander Director of Business Planning | DAUCH Corporation Bret Halley COO | Valley Forge & Bolt Mfg. Co. James D. Kane VP of Commercial Sales | Ellwood Quality Steels Co.

Louis Philippe Lapierre COO | Finkl Steel Frank Sikon Director of Procurement Operations | Howmet Aerospace Luke Spinelli Executive VP - COO | Aluminum Precision Products, Inc.

PUBLISHER & EDITOR Angela Gibian President | Forging Industry Association angela@forging.org ASSOCIATE EDITOR Amanda Dureiko Executive Director (FIERF) | Forging Industry Association amanda@forging.org DESIGN Lorean Crowder Sr. Graphic Design & Publication Specialist | Forging Industry Association lorean@forging.org

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