May 2025 Volume 7

INDUSTRY NEWS

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: PATRIOT FORGE “Forging is not a commodity—it is a strategic capability.”

controlled, Patriot Forge is a sovereign industrial asset. It is a trusted partner to allied nations through the Canadian Commercial Corporation, Canada's government to government contracting agency. FIA: There is a lot of uncertainty over historic tariffs imposed on China and other nations and the retaliatory actions. How do you view this very fluid situation? RD: In both the U.S. and Canada, tariffs on Chinese industrial goods appear to be part of a broader reassessment of how we secure critical inputs. There is increasing recognition that the competitive landscape has been shaped not just by innovation and scale, but by years of artificially low-priced imports backed by state-driven industrial policy. There is also a more nuanced awareness taking shape — particularly in the U.S. — about the strategic intent behind some of the foreign trade practices we’ve seen over the years. The use of economic levers, such as intentional dumping of below-cost castings and forgings into North America, resembles deliberate disruption. Many of us — on both sides of the border — have felt the effects. The conversation is shifting toward shared responsibility: how we defend capacity, maintain skills, and align quality and traceability standards? That awareness is changing how risks are assessed, and how public procurement and industrial policy are evolving. There’s a growing consensus that we’re not just talking about market trends anymore — we’re talking about the foundations of national and continental resilience. FIA: Is this translating into greater focus on sourcing materials or products here in North America? RD: For U.S. purchasers — especially in defense, energy, and infrastructure — I’m seeing more attention being paid to the origins and integrity of forgings. The conversations we’re having today go beyond cost. They include questions about

Credit: Patriot Forge Co. T he North American forging industry is contending with some of the most dynamic changes in decades to the domestic and global economy. Among the evolving developments are American tariffs, particularly on China, and the prospect of new trade negotiations. At the same time, there is growing support to strengthen domestic supply chains for critical goods and materials that feed a host of industries, including to support ambitious plans for national defense in the United States and among its closest allies. Patriot Forge Co., headquartered in Brantford, Ontario, has a unique vantage point as Canada’s largest independent forging company with deep partnerships across North America and beyond. As FIA steps up its outreach and education efforts – with government decision makers, prime contractors and other critical partners – a critical element is delving more deeply into our members' capabilities and concerns. We caught up with CEO Robert Dimitrieff, who describes the company as “a committed contributor to North America’s industrial resilience,” to learn more about Patriot Forge and its customer base, along with what it considers the most promising opportunities, as well as its biggest challenges. FIA: Tell us a little about Patriot Forge and its capabilities.

RD: Patriot Forge Co. is Canada’s largest independent open-die forging operation, serving the most demanding sectors of the economy — defense, energy, power generation, shipbuilding, and mining. Our components are found across critical infrastructure: in pipelines and pumping systems, nuclear reactors, naval propulsion systems, and now, emerging domestic cannon and mortar tube production. FIA: What is the company’s relationship

with the Canadian government? RD: Fully Canadian-owned and

Robert Dimitrieff

FIA MAGAZINE | MAY 2025 74