The C.A. Lawton

What The C.A. Lawton does

The C.A. Lawton Co. is a 145-year-old, 5th-generation family-owned foundry-centered manufacturer that produces large gray and ductile iron castings for industrial OEM customers in the United States. The company operates two production facilities — its De Pere, Wisconsin headquarters (castings 500–20,000 lbs) and a Minster, Ohio plant capable of casting up to 45,000 lbs — using a no-bake, furan sand molding system. C.A. Lawton is a division of Lawton Standard Co., a family of five iron and one steel foundries operating under a 'Planet, People, then Profit' philosophy, with shared engineering, sales, marketing, compliance, and EHS resources across the platform.

The company's product offering is vertically integrated: in-house pattern making, casting, machining, testing, and assembly are bundled under single-source accountability, eliminating the need for multiple suppliers on large custom castings. Specialty capabilities include ASME ductile iron pressure vessels (a capability shared with only a few iron foundries in North America) and Magmasoft solidification simulation software for defect prediction. The company holds ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001, ISO 45001:2018, and ASME certifications, and was the first foundry ever to achieve Wisconsin DNR Green Tier 2 status (2021, renewed 2025). End markets served include construction and mining equipment (Komatsu is a named customer), industrial machinery and equipment, commercial air handling, municipal water systems, paper, mining, and energy and power generation.

Revenue is generated through quote-based, custom one-time sales of castings priced by size (500–45,000 lbs), material (gray or ductile iron), complexity, and volume, typically under multi-year contracts with enterprise OEMs. Go-to-market is direct sales-led, with engineering collaboration embedded in the quoting process. The company operates without external institutional or private equity ownership and does not publicly disclose revenue.

Name

The C.A. Lawton

Legal name

The C.A. Lawton Co.

Website

https://calawton.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1879

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The C.A. Lawton Co. is a 5th-generation, family-owned U.S. foundry manufacturing large gray and ductile iron castings (500–45,000 lbs) with on-site pattern making, machining, and ASME pressure vessel capability for industrial OEM customers across construction, mining, energy, and machinery verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Iron Castings and Foundry Manufacturing

NAICS

Steel Foundries (except Investment) (331513)

SIC

Miscellaneous Primary Metal Products (3390)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty & Alloy Steel (Stainless, Tool Steel, Electrical Steel, High-Strength/HSLA) (IMAKABAJ)

Keywords

• Iron casting manufacturing
• Large gray iron castings
• Ductile iron castings
• Foundry pattern making
• Iron casting machining

Headquarters

HQ city

De Pere

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Iron Casting Manufacturing and Sales: The company manufactures large gray and ductile iron castings and machined components. Revenue is generated through one-time product sales of custom castings based on customer specifications, with pattern making, casting, machining, testing, and assembly services bundled under single-source accountability.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The C.A. Lawton Co. is a foundry-centered manufacturer that produces large gray and ductile iron castings ranging from 500 to 45,000 pounds using a no-bake, furan sand system. It also provides on-site pattern making, machining, testing, and assembly, giving industrial OEM customers a single-source supplier for custom cast components including large machine bases, structural frames, and ASME-certified ductile iron pressure vessels.

Product overview

The C.A. Lawton Co. is a foundry-centered manufacturer offering a vertically integrated portfolio of iron casting products and services. The core offering consists of large iron castings (500 to 45,000 pounds) in both gray and ductile iron, produced using a no-bake, furan sand system. The company provides on-site pattern making, casting, machining, testing, and assembly capabilities under single-source accountability. Specialty products include ASME ductile iron pressure vessels—a capability limited to few North American foundries. Machine bases and structural frames represent a key product family for industrial applications. The company operates two facilities: De Pere, Wisconsin (500lb to 20,000lb range) and Minster, Ohio (up to 45,000lbs).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Large Iron Casting Custom gray and ductile iron castings ranging from 500 to 45,000 pounds, produced on-site using a no-bake, furan sand system for industrial OEM customers requiring heavy equipment components.
• Pattern Making On-site pattern making services in which C.A. Lawton collaborates with customers to design and produce patterns that determine the shape, dimensional accuracy, and integrity of castings, supported by in-house pattern storage.
• Machining On-site CNC machining services for castings, simplifying the supply chain by providing finished machined components directly from the foundry or via trusted supplier partners.
• ASME Ductile Iron Pressure Vessels Production of ASME-certified ductile iron pressure vessels registered with the National Board, requiring consistent processes and strict procedural requirements to ensure structural integrity in pressurized end-use applications.
• Machine Bases and Frames Large cast iron machine bases and structural frames for CNC machines, lathes, milling equipment, heavy-duty machinery, and industrial applications, engineered to provide stability, precision, and vibration damping in demanding environments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Delivered large machine bases weighing over 17,000 pounds with dimensions of 144" x 68" x 66"
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Lawton Standard Family of CompaniescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerC.A. Lawton is a division of Lawton Standard, a family of foundries (5 iron and 1 steel) operating under shared philosophy of 'Planet, People, then Profit.' The family enables shared resources including engineers, HR, IT, sales, marketing, compliance, and EHS experts across all locations. Cross-pollination of best practices and experimentation across facilities.
• Northern Iron & Machine (NIM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcquired by Lawton Standard in August 2022. Located in St. Paul, Minnesota, NIM produces and machines high-quality cast gray, ductile, and austempered iron castings up to 250 lbs. Expands Lawton Standard offerings by both size and method, benefiting both Lawton and NIM customers with expanded sourcing options.
• Wisconsin Department of Natural ResourcescoreOthersLawton has been a participant in Wisconsin DNR's Green Tier program since 2013, achieving Tier 2 status as first foundry ever to do so. The partnership involves negotiated environmental performance commitments, access to Green Tier Registration Operation Permit (ROP-G), and collaborative approach to reduce regulatory burden while incentivizing environmental excellence.
• Wisconsin Sustainable Business CouncilmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council, participating in the Green Masters Program. The partnership provides sustainability benchmarks and frameworks for comparing performance against other manufacturers in the state.
• University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Industrial Assessment CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUWM's Industrial Assessment Center conducted an assessment of the De Pere facility in 2022, providing recommendations that resulted in over $9,000 in energy savings through projects including energy assessments, compressed air system upgrades, and efficient lighting installations.
• De Pere Area Chamber of CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChamber membership strengthens connection to local community and provides networking opportunities with area businesses to promote economic growth.
• American Foundry SocietymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive member of the American Foundry Society. Featured in Modern Casting magazine for Green Tier 2 renewal. The AFS Vision is to be recognized worldwide as the leading voice and resource on technical, management, and advocacy priorities pertaining to the metalcasting industry.
• CintasminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPPE supplier providing flame-resistant clothing including t-shirts, long-sleeve shirts, coveralls, and jeans for foundry workers. Cintas tested various flame-resistant protective gear options for Lawton's foundry environment.
• KomatsuminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLawton partnered with Komatsu to donate to Ronald McDonald House Charities. Komatsu manufactures construction, mining, and industrial equipment for which Lawton produces iron castings.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Grede Holdings: US iron foundry producing gray, ductile, and compacted graphite iron castings for automotive, commercial vehicle, and industrial customers. Highly comparable on materials, end-markets, and vertical integration in casting/machining.
• East Jordan Iron Works: Iron foundry producing municipal and industrial castings including ductile iron pipe fittings and access products. Comparable on ductile iron process, municipal water segment, and US-based foundry operations.
• MetalTek International: Specialty metal casting company producing iron, steel, and high-alloy castings for industrial OEMs. Comparable on the specialty-foundry positioning, engineered castings, and pattern-to-machined-part value chain.
• Dotson Iron Castings: Minnesota-based iron foundry producing ductile and gray iron castings for heavy industry. Comparable on materials, regional Midwest footprint, and industrial OEM customer mix.
• Waupaca Foundry: One of the largest iron foundries in North America, producing gray and ductile iron castings for industrial, automotive, and heavy-equipment OEMs. Directly comparable to C.A. Lawton in process (no-bake/no-bake green sand), material (iron), and customer base (industrial OEMs).
• Charlotte Pipe and Foundry: US manufacturer of cast iron pipe and fittings, plus iron foundry operations serving plumbing, municipal, and industrial markets. Comparable on iron casting processes, ductile iron expertise, and municipal water end-market.
• Atlas Foundry (formerly Neenah Foundry): Iron foundry producing gray and ductile iron castings for industrial markets. Highly comparable on materials, US Midwest operations, and industrial OEM customer base.
• American Cast Iron Pipe Company: Diversified iron manufacturer producing ductile iron pipe and fittings plus steel casting operations. Comparable on ductile iron production, ASME-grade quality systems, and infrastructure/municipal end-markets.

Broad incumbents

• Bradken: Global metal casting and engineering company serving mining, infrastructure, and industrial markets. Comparable on heavy iron casting capability and mining/industrial OEM customer base, though larger and more diversified geographically.

Emerging players

• Stahl Specialty Company: US iron and steel foundry producing specialty castings for industrial markets. Comparable on material portfolio and specialty casting focus, though smaller in scale than C.A. Lawton.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UClNGoCLEDL2dxjeKMY5J2xQ
• Xx.com/calawton1879
• Facebookfacebook.com/CALawton
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/calawton

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The C.A. Lawton