What Exco Engineering does

Exco Engineering is a North American tooling company that designs and manufactures large high-pressure die cast tooling primarily for automotive powertrain and body/structural component manufacturers. Founded in 1974 and headquartered in Newmarket, Ontario, the division operates three facilities across North America: a 130,000 ft² headquarters and tooling complex in Newmarket, a 45,000 ft² facility in Toledo, Ohio, and a 20,000 ft² facility in Querétaro, Mexico. It is a division of Exco Technologies (TSX:XTC), a publicly traded parent group with approximately 5,000 employees and 18 strategic locations globally.

The company has delivered roughly 350 new dies across 75 programs over the past 15 years (approximately 1,000 dies including rebuilds), with 90% of programs based on dies of Exco's own design. Its technical capabilities span an in-house foundry equipped with a 4,000-ton die cast machine and Fanuc robotics, four large-scale additive manufacturing machines for tool steel with build volumes up to 16x16x16 inches (with thousands of inserts in production globally), and a proprietary simulation toolchain integrating Flow-3D, MagmaSoft, Ansys, and the in-house Exco-Vent software (also distributed as a free Exco Vent App). The division is ISO 9001:2015 certified and received the 2014 NADCA Best Paper Award. In 2015, it launched the Exco Additive product line, establishing itself as a global leader in additive-manufactured tool steel for die casting.

Exco operates an engineering-led go-to-market model with no traditional sales department, supported by staff who integrate directly at customer facilities. Revenue is generated through project-based sales of large dies and tooling, supplemented by rebuilds, engineering services, and additive manufacturing offerings. Pricing and revenue figures are not publicly disclosed at the division level. Customer end-markets are concentrated in automotive powertrain and body/structural component manufacturing, with no named OEM or Tier-1 customer logos publicly disclosed.

Name

Exco Engineering

Legal name

Exco Engineering

Website

https://excoeng.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Exco Engineering is a North American designer and manufacturer of large high-pressure die cast tooling serving automotive powertrain and body/structural component manufacturers. A division of Exco Technologies (TSX:XTC), it operates sites in Canada, the US, and Mexico with proprietary simulation and additive manufacturing capabilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Die Casting Tooling

NAICS

Special Die and Tool, Die Set, Jig, and Fixture Manufacturing (333514)

SIC

Metalworkg Machinery & Equipment (3540)

akta.pro primary industry

Tool & Die Making (EDAOAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Metal Forming & Fabrication Machines (Presses, Bending, Shearing, Stamping) (IMAHADAC)

Keywords

• High pressure die casting
• Die casting tooling
• Automotive tooling
• Additive manufacturing
• Die engineering services

Headquarters

HQ city

Newmarket

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Die Casting Tool Manufacturing: Design, build, and development of large high pressure die cast tooling for automotive components. Revenue generated from new die sales and die rebuilds. 90% of programs based on dies of Exco's own design. Delivered 350 complete new dies over 15 years, rising to approximately 1000 when including rebuilds.
2. Engineering and Process Support Services: On-site engineering support and process development services provided to customers, particularly on large new programs where Exco staff work at customer facilities until stable production is achieved.
3. Additive Manufacturing Inserts: Production and sale of additively manufactured tool steel inserts for die casting applications. Thousands of inserts in production globally with thermal simulation-driven optimal cooling channel design.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Exco Engineering designs, builds, and develops large high pressure die cast tooling for automotive powertrain, body, and structural components, including engine blocks (I4/V6/V8), transmission cases, oil pans, instrument panels, engine cradles, and body panels. The company operates three North American facilities (Newmarket, Toledo, Querétaro) and supports its tooling with in-house engineering, simulation, an integrated foundry with a 4000 ton die cast machine, CNC CAM, and an additive manufacturing capability for tool steel inserts.

Product overview

Exco Engineering is a world leader in large high pressure die cast tooling with three North American facilities. The core offering is the Die Cast Tooling Business, supported by specialized add-on modules including: Exco Additive (additive manufacturing of tool steel inserts), Exco Vent App (venting efficiency analysis tool), Volume Calculator (production planning tool), Engineering Services (CAE, design, analysis), R&D (simulation and predictive analysis), Die Testing & Process Development (in-house foundry), and CAM (CNC manufacturing). These products work together to provide comprehensive die casting solutions from design through production.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Exco Additive: Global leaders in additive manufacturing of tool steel for die casting applications, delivering high quality tool steel components since 2015.
• Exco Vent App

Products and services

• Die Cast Tooling Business End-to-end design, build, and development of large high pressure die cast tooling for powertrain, body, and structural automotive components including engine blocks (I4, V6, V8), transmission cases (FWD/RWD/AWD/CVT), transfer cases, oil pans, wheels, instrument panels, engine cradles, steering columns, axle tubes, and marine gearboxes. Customers are enterprise automotive OEMs and Tier 1s, with 75 programs supported over 15 years and 350 complete new dies delivered (~1000 including rebuilds).
• Exco Additive Additive manufacturing of tool steel components and inserts for die casting applications. Four large-scale additive machines with quad-laser systems, maximum build volumes of 16x16x16 inches (400mm3), proprietary heat treatment, and thermal simulation-driven design of optimal cooling channels. Thousands of inserts in production globally, with longer tool life than conventionally formed tools in many cases.
• Die Testing and Process Development In-house foundry providing die testing, sampling, and process development services using a 3500/4000 ton high pressure die cast machine with compound hydraulic-mechanical clamping, Fanuc spray/liner loading/part extracting robots, three furnaces for standard aluminum, low-iron aluminum, and magnesium, vacuum, hot oil, and jet cool capabilities, and independently controlled water flow. Allows simulation of customer process conditions before production.
• Engineering Services
• CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) CNC machining services covering all details of die build on 3, 4, 5, and 6 axis machining centers and table and floor type boring mills, supported by a unique proprietary machining productivity control system developed jointly with two leading software providers that enables lights-out production.

Quantifiable outcome

• 75 different programs supported over 15 years with 350 new dies delivered (rising to ~1000 including rebuilds)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Ahresty Corporation: Japanese die casting parts manufacturer supplying automotive OEMs in Japan, North America, and Asia. Adjacent to Exco's business with significant overlap in automotive powertrain and structural die cast components.
• Dynacast: Global precision die cast parts manufacturer serving automotive, industrial, and consumer end markets. Adjacent peer that consumes large die cast tooling (Exco's customer base) and operates in the same high-pressure die casting value chain.
• Endurance Technologies: Indian-headquartered global manufacturer of die cast and other automotive components serving major global OEMs. Comparable end-market exposure and customer base to Exco, though focused on parts production rather than tooling design and supply.

Direct peers

• Italpresse Gauss: Italian manufacturer of high-pressure die casting machines and complete die casting cells serving automotive and industrial markets globally. Comparable to Exco Engineering in addressing the high-pressure die casting tooling and equipment ecosystem for large structural components.
• Idra Group: Italian maker of high-pressure die casting machines, particularly large-tonnage presses for automotive structural components and gigacasting applications. Direct peer given the overlap with Exco's focus on large die cast tooling for automotive OEMs.
• Oskar Frech GmbH + Co. KG: German manufacturer of hot and cold chamber die casting machines with deep process expertise in automotive die casting. Comparable to Exco as a tooling/equipment provider serving the high-pressure die casting value chain.

Broad incumbents

• Gestamp Automocion: Global Spanish-headquartered automotive metal components supplier with significant die design, stamping, and chassis/structural casting operations. Comparable as a vertically integrated Tier-1 active in large structural automotive metal components adjacent to Exco's customer base.
• Magna International: Global Tier-1 automotive supplier with in-house die design, metal forming, and casting capabilities serving nearly all major OEMs. Comparable end-market and customer overlap with Exco, though operating at much broader scale and scope than a specialist tool builder.
• Bühler Group: Swiss-based global supplier of die casting equipment, complete die casting cells, and process engineering. Most directly comparable to Exco in combining die casting machinery, process development, and integrated solutions for large automotive structural and powertrain castings.

Regional players

• Colosio Srl: Italian producer of high-pressure die casting machines, predominantly serving European automotive and industrial customers. Comparable as a die casting equipment specialist, though primarily regional in scope versus Exco's North American base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 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 Exco Engineering