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History

Casting is a Way of Life

Frank Carley's hard work and desire to take risks created the foundation for Carley Foundry today. 

Frank's interest in the art of pattern making developed while he worked for several local foundries. He continued to pursue the craft and, in 1948, received his degree in pattern making from St. Paul Vocational school.

In 1955, along with his wife Lois, Frank started Carley Foundry in the basement of their home.

Eight years later, Frank purchased Cheney Foundry, a small company in Minneapolis that poured aluminum and brass, from its retiring owner in 1963. Frank managed the foundry, and Lois managed the office.

In 1967, Carley Foundry built a new facility in New Brighton, MN, and moved the existing pattern shop and foundry to the new location. Mike Carley, Frank's son, joined his father soon after with a vision to bring the company to new territory.

 

 
 

The business began running out of room in New Brighton by 1984, so Carley Foundry built a new plant in Blaine, MN, site of the current facility. The New Brighton location remained open for ten more years. At that time, Carley Foundry added onto the Blaine plant, and operations housed in New Brighton relocated to Blaine. Carley Foundry made a total of four additions to the Blaine location between 1994 and 2005. During that time, Jordan Carley, Mike's son, also joined the company.

It soon became clear that one building would not be enough. In 2008, Carley Foundry purchased an  adjacent property and building, which now houses the Pattern Shop and administrative offices. The company then purchased another adjacent property and building in 2011 and converted it into a warehouse at the time. Five years later, this third building experiened a major expansion, and the Investment department and a portion of the Permanent Mold department moved to this location. A fourth building nearby is currently rented for warehouse purposes.

After more than 60 years of business, which included three diffferent locations, four single building expansions, and three newly added buildings to create a campus, Carley Foundry remains a family business. The same drive, motivation, and innovation that helped found a basement pattern-making business lives on at the world-class foundry it developed into today.

 

Who
We Are

Upholding customer
commitment and work ethic established 50+ years ago.

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Rapid
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From concept to casting
without a tool

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