Forging Industry Association
The Forging Industry Association (FIA) is a U.S. non-profit trade association founded in 1913, serving forging manufacturers and suppliers through membership dues, conferences (Fall Meeting, Safety Conference, workshops), technical publications, the Forging Career Center job board, and workforce-pipeline programs operated via its FIERF affiliate.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1913
- HeadquartersCleveland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Forging Industry Association does
The Forging Industry Association (FIA) is a non-profit trade association founded in 1913 and headquartered at 6363 Oak Tree Blvd., Independence, Ohio. It serves the U.S. forging industry — a metal-manufacturing sector that shapes metal using localized compressive forces — by acting as the primary industry body for standards, advocacy, education, and networking. Membership spans open-die, closed-die, and seamless rolled ring producers and includes recently onboarded companies such as Bosch, Prime Metals, MTS Forge, Milwaukee-Forge, and Rickard Metals, alongside strategic event partners including Howmet Aerospace and Ellwood Quality Steels.
FIA's product and service portfolio centers on (a) member-only conferences and workshops (Fall Meeting & Marketing Conference, Safety Conference, Mechanical Press Maintenance Workshop, First Line Supervisory Development Seminar, and the annual FIERF Golf Outing), (b) technical publications — including the Product Design Guide for Forging, Open Die Forging Technology, and tolerance guideline booklets for aluminum, impression-die, and seamless rolled ring forgings — sold via an online shop at member and non-member price points, (c) the Forging Career Center (careers.forging.org), a dedicated job board hosted in partnership with Naylor Association Solutions offering Featured Employer branding packages ranging from $459 to $5,850 (Network tier up to $10,750), and (d) workforce-pipeline programs through its affiliated non-profit FIERF — including the Forge the Future Summer Camp for ages 11-15 and Forging Club grants to universities such as UConn.
The revenue model is a hybrid of recurring membership dues (undisclosed amounts), event registration fees (tiered from $75 for Summer Camp to $1,900 for the Fall Meeting first attendee), Career Center subscription packages, and shop sales. Go-to-market is primarily event-driven, supplemented by content marketing, the website storefront, and the Forging RFQ submission form that connects buyers with member forging companies. FIA employs 11-50 staff and operates with a small, lean infrastructure centered on conference execution, member services, and industry-funded research and scholarships.
Forging Industry Association firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Forging Industry Association
- Legal name
- Forging Industry Association
- Website
- https://forging.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1913
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Forging Industry Association (FIA) is a U.S. non-profit trade association founded in 1913, serving forging manufacturers and suppliers through membership dues, conferences (Fall Meeting, Safety Conference, workshops), technical publications, the Forging Career Center job board, and workforce-pipeline programs operated via its FIERF affiliate.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Forging Industry Association industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Trade Association Services
- NAICS
- Professional Organizations (81392), Professional Organizations (813920), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Professional & Association Conferences (MPAGAGAB), Training, Workshops & Certification Events (MPAGAGAJ), Education & Training Providers (EDABALAI)
Keywords
Where Forging Industry Association is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cleveland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Forging Industry Association business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Conference and Event Registration Fees: FIA generates revenue through registration fees for its conferences and events, including the bi-annual Safety Conference, Fall Meeting & Marketing Conference, Mechanical Press Maintenance Workshop, First Line Supervisory Development Seminar, and the annual FIERF Golf Outing. Conference fees range from $950 (Next Gen discounted) to $1,900 (first attendee), with additional fees for spouse/guest and activities.
- Shop Sales (Publications and Apparel): FIA operates an online store selling technical publications (books, booklets, pamphlets) and branded apparel (polo shirts). Books are priced at $35-$49 (non-member) with member discounts available. Apparel such as polo shirts is priced at $50. Publications include educational materials on forging technology, tolerances, and design guidelines.
- Forging Career Center Job Board Services: The Forging Career Center (careers.forging.org) serves as a job board platform. Employers can purchase Featured Employer packages ranging from $459-$5,850 depending on duration and membership status, with Network Featured Employer packages ranging from $1,107-$10,750. The platform connects job seekers with forging industry employers.
- Membership Dues: FIA operates as a membership-based trade association. The FIA Fall Meeting & Marketing Conference is designated as 'Member Only.' New member companies (Bosch, Prime Metals, MTS Forge, Milwaukee-Forge, Rickard Metals) are showcased on the homepage, suggesting active membership recruitment. Specific dues amounts are not publicly disclosed.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | 2026 FIA Fall Meeting & Marketing Conference registration |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | 2026 FIERF Golf Outing registration |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | 2026 FIERF Forge the Future Summer Camp Cleveland |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Technical Publications and Books (member vs non-member pricing) |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Branded Apparel (polo shirts) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Featured Employer packages on Forging Career Center |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels5 records
Forging Industry Association product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Forging Industry Association is a trade association that provides services such as industry conferences (Fall Meeting, Safety Conference), technical publications, career services through the Forging Career Center, training and educational programs, networking events (Summer Camp, Golf Outing), workshops, seminars, and branded apparel to forging industry member companies and professionals.
Product overview
The Forging Industry Association (FIA) is a trade association serving the forging industry with a portfolio of publications, career services, and professional development events. Its product offerings include technical publications such as the Product Design Guide for Forging, Open Die Forging Technology, and various guideline tolerance booklets for aluminum, impression die, and seamless forgings, as well as a 10-page introductory pamphlet 'FORGING: Where, Why, How?'. The association operates the Forging Career Center, a career services platform connecting job seekers with forging industry employers, and provides a Career Learning Center with articles and video presentations. FIA organizes multiple annual events including the FIA Fall Meeting & Marketing Conference, FIERF Forge the Future Summer Camp (educational program for youth), FIA Safety Conference, Mechanical Press Maintenance Workshop, First Line Supervisory Development Seminar, and FIERF Forging Foundation Golf Outing. Corporate branded apparel (men's and women's polo shirts) is also sold through the online store.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Fall Meeting Conference Annual industry conference organized by FIA for forging industry members and professionals, providing networking, education, and industry updates.
- Safety Conference
- Forging Career Center
- Technical Publications
Companies that use Forging Industry Association
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Forging Industry Association technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Forging Industry Association partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Ellwood Quality SteelscoreEllwood Quality Steels is the host of the optional plant tour during the 2026 FIA Fall Meeting & Marketing Conference. Located in the Pittsburgh area, Ellwood is a leading producer of carbon, alloy, and stainless steel, as well as nickel alloys, offering ingots and semifinished products with state-of-the-art melting processes including vacuum arc remelting and electroslag remelting.
- Howmet AerospacecoreHowmet Aerospace serves as the plant tour host for the 2026 FIA Safety Conference. Located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Howmet is a leading global provider of advanced engineered solutions for aerospace, gas turbine, and transportation industries, with approximately 1,200 granted and pending patents. The plant tour provides attendees with firsthand exposure to aerospace forging and manufacturing operations.
- Westfield Country ClubminorWestfield Country Club (South Course, Westfield Center, OH) hosts the annual FIERF Golf Outing. The historic South Course is nearly 6,800 yards and has hosted the Junior Ryder Cup Matches (2004), Westfield Junior PGA Championship (2001-2007), and the Ohio Open (2013-2016). The venue provides a premium setting for industry networking.
- Cuyahoga Community CollegecoreCuyahoga Community College (Advanced Technology Training Center, 3409 Woodland Ave., Cleveland, OH 44115) serves as the host venue for the 2026 FIERF Forge the Future Summer Camp. Breakfast and lunch are provided to campers. The college's facilities enable hands-on forging activities and STEM programming for students aged 11-15.
- Dango DienminorDango Dien is a sponsor of the 2026 FIERF Forging Foundation Golf Outing, contributing to funds raised that support FIERF's mission of industry-relevant research and student engagement programs.
- Underys FamilyminorThe Underys Family is a sponsor of the 2026 FIERF Forging Foundation Golf Outing, contributing to funds raised that support FIERF's mission of industry-relevant research and student engagement programs.
- Weber MetalsminorWeber Metals is a sponsor of the 2026 FIERF Forging Foundation Golf Outing, contributing to funds raised that support FIERF's mission of industry-relevant research and student engagement programs.
- VK (sponsor of Forge the Future Camp)minorVK is the thanked sponsor of the 2026 FIERF Forge the Future Summer Camp Cleveland. The camp exposes students aged 11-15 to the forging industry through hands-on STEM activities and facility tours.
- Naylor Association SolutionscoreNaylor Association Solutions provides the software platform for and hosts the Forging Career Center (careers.forging.org) on behalf of FIA. Naylor also provides candidate support (1-888-491-8833, [email protected]) and handles data processing for the career center. The logo of Naylor Association Solutions appears on the careers.forging.org footer.
- UConn Metalworking ClubminorUConn's Metalworking Club has been awarded a FIERF Forging Club grant to purchase new equipment and materials for metalworking activities. The club must participate in the annual FIERF Axe Challenge forging competition as a grant requirement. The club, launched seven years ago, aims to use the grant to expand operations and design and forge an American felling axe for the 2026 competition.
- Jason Aldean's Kitchen + BarminorJason Aldean's Kitchen + Bar in Pittsburgh serves as the venue for the Next Gen (aged 35 and under) networking event during the 2026 Fall Meeting & Marketing Conference. FIA has reserved space for the group beginning at 7:00 PM on October 20, 2026. Transportation and dinner costs are the responsibility of each attendee.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Forging Industry Association competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP): MEP is a federal program providing consulting and workforce services to U.S. manufacturers. While not a trade association, it competes for member companies' training and workforce development budgets that FIA also targets via FIERF and the Career Center.
Direct peers
- American Foundry Society (AFS): AFS is the leading U.S. trade association for the metal casting industry — a closely adjacent metals manufacturing process. Like FIA, it organizes annual conferences, technical publications, workforce development programs, and operates as a member-funded nonprofit serving industrial manufacturers.
- Fabricators & Manufacturers Association (FMA): FMA serves metal forming, fabricating, and welding manufacturers with conferences, publications, and certification programs. It competes with FIA for members in the broader metalworking value chain and runs a similarly structured event-and-publication revenue model.
- Steel Founders' Society of America (SFSA): SFSA represents steel casting producers with technical publications, safety programming, and annual meetings. It is closely comparable to FIA in scope, structure, and member demographics within the specialty steel/metal components manufacturing ecosystem.
- National Tooling and Machining Association (NTMA): NTMA represents custom precision machined parts and tooling manufacturers with a comparable membership, conference, and workforce development model. Many forging buyers and suppliers also belong to NTMA, making it a near-substitute trade association for industrial members.
- Industrial Fasteners Institute (IFI): IFI is the trade association for North American manufacturers of mechanical fasteners and formed parts. It operates a similar technical standards, conference, and certification model serving metal-formed component manufacturers — many of whom overlap with FIA's member base.
- Precision Machined Products Association (PMPA): PMPA serves precision machined parts manufacturers with a similar member-driven structure: conferences, technical standards, publications, and training. It overlaps with FIA in serving U.S. metal component manufacturers and competing for the same member companies' association budgets.
- Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST): AIST is the global trade association for iron and steel manufacturing professionals. It shares FIA's industry-conference model, technical publication library, and member-funded nonprofit structure, and serves adjacent upstream supply-chain companies.
Broad incumbents
- Aluminum Association: The Aluminum Association represents the broader aluminum value chain (producers, extruders, recyclers) with statistics, advocacy, and conferences. It overlaps with FIA's aluminum-forging publications and competes for the same downstream OEM members.
- Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME): SME is a much larger, broader manufacturing trade organization offering conferences, publications, and certifications across all manufacturing disciplines. It is a broad incumbent whose tooling, fabrication, and materials conferences compete for similar industrial member spend.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Forging Industry Association social profiles
Digital presenceForging Industry Association financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Forging Industry Association leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Forging Industry Association subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Forging Industry Association funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Forging Industry Association M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Forging Industry Association
What does Forging Industry Association do?
The Forging Industry Association is a trade association that provides services such as industry conferences (Fall Meeting, Safety Conference), technical publications, career services through the Forging Career Center, training and educational programs, networking events (Summer Camp, Golf Outing), workshops, seminars, and branded apparel to forging industry member companies and professionals.
Is Forging Industry Association a public or private company?
Forging Industry Association is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Forging Industry Association founded?
Forging Industry Association was founded in 1913. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Forging Industry Association based?
Forging Industry Association is headquartered in Cleveland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Forging Industry Association make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Conference and Event Registration Fees are the primary driver. The others are shop Sales (Publications and Apparel), forging Career Center Job Board Services and membership Dues.
Who are Forging Industry Association's main competitors?
Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) is listed as an others. Direct peers are American Foundry Society (AFS), Fabricators & Manufacturers Association (FMA), Steel Founders' Society of America (SFSA), National Tooling and Machining Association (NTMA), Industrial Fasteners Institute (IFI), Precision Machined Products Association (PMPA) and Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST). Broad incumbents are Aluminum Association and Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME).
Does Forging Industry Association have an API?
No public API is recorded for Forging Industry Association.
What industry is Forging Industry Association in?
Forging Industry Association's product category is Trade Association Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHACAA, Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies), with a secondary code of MPAGAGAB, Professional & Association Conferences. Its NAICS code is 81392 and its SIC code is 8600.