Windsor Casting
Encyclopedia
Windsor Casting Plant was an Iron Foundry owned by Ford Motor Company
in Windsor, Ontario
, Canada
. The plant first opened November 9, 1934 and was located next to Ford Windsor engine
plant in downtown Windsor. It was known to area residents as the "Foundry". Internally it was referred to as WCP.
Operations ceased on May 29, 2007 as part of Ford's "Way Forward" plan.
During its time in operation, it was one of Canada’s largest recyclers. It recycled any kind of scrap metal with iron in it. Ironically, in 1998, the Foundry used the scrap metal from the demolition of neighbouring Windsor Engine #1 to cast 175'000 engine blocks. Although being considered an outdated facility, WCP was frequently awarded with many quality and environmental awards.
WCP was also the home and namesake for the Famous Windsor V8
Plant Facts:
Size:
500,000 square feet (46,450 m 2) on 22-acre (nine-hectare) site
Employees at time of closure:
Approximately 400 Hourly; 50 Salaried
Products at time of Closure:
Cast Iron Cylinder blocks – 4.2-litre V6
Crankshafts – 3.9-litre V6, 4.2-litre V6, 5.4-litre V8, 3.0-litre V6, 4.6-litre V8, 2.3-litre I4
Past Products:
Master Cylinders for Brakes, Cylinder Heads, Manhole Covers
Production:
91,000 tonnes of molten metal poured/year
Produces about 500,000 engine blocks/year
Two million crankshafts produced each year for seven models, ranging from 22-pound to 38-pound crankshafts for everything from small inline four-cylinder engines to V-8s
Largest recycler of iron and steel in Southern Ontario. All the steel used in cylinder blocks and crankshafts produced is recycled.
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
in Windsor, Ontario
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The plant first opened November 9, 1934 and was located next to Ford Windsor engine
Ford Windsor engine
The Windsor is a 90-degree small-block V8 engine from Ford Motor Company. It was introduced in 1962, replacing the previous Ford Y-block engine. Though not all of the engines in this family were produced at the Windsor, Ontario engine plant , the name stuck...
plant in downtown Windsor. It was known to area residents as the "Foundry". Internally it was referred to as WCP.
Operations ceased on May 29, 2007 as part of Ford's "Way Forward" plan.
During its time in operation, it was one of Canada’s largest recyclers. It recycled any kind of scrap metal with iron in it. Ironically, in 1998, the Foundry used the scrap metal from the demolition of neighbouring Windsor Engine #1 to cast 175'000 engine blocks. Although being considered an outdated facility, WCP was frequently awarded with many quality and environmental awards.
WCP was also the home and namesake for the Famous Windsor V8
Plant Facts:
Size:
500,000 square feet (46,450 m 2) on 22-acre (nine-hectare) site
Employees at time of closure:
Approximately 400 Hourly; 50 Salaried
Products at time of Closure:
Cast Iron Cylinder blocks – 4.2-litre V6
Crankshafts – 3.9-litre V6, 4.2-litre V6, 5.4-litre V8, 3.0-litre V6, 4.6-litre V8, 2.3-litre I4
Past Products:
Master Cylinders for Brakes, Cylinder Heads, Manhole Covers
Production:
91,000 tonnes of molten metal poured/year
Produces about 500,000 engine blocks/year
Two million crankshafts produced each year for seven models, ranging from 22-pound to 38-pound crankshafts for everything from small inline four-cylinder engines to V-8s
Largest recycler of iron and steel in Southern Ontario. All the steel used in cylinder blocks and crankshafts produced is recycled.