Twin City Die Casting

Twin City Die Castings Company was founded in 1919 as one of the original die casting companies in the United States. Through the years we have grown to be one of the premier custom die casters in the industry, offering complete cast and machine capability. We have plants located in Minneapolis and Monticello, Minnesota, and Watertown, South Dakota, serving the needs of a wide array of customers. Original content provided by Jim Harmon, former Chairman of the Board, with edits made in 2010. Twin City Die Castings Company was established on November 7, 1919 at the present corporate location in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The founder, Charles G. Adams of Buffalo, New York, headed west after serving in the armed forces during World War I. He brought with him rare mechanical abilities and an idea. Adam’s idea was that a brand new process called “die casting,” then in its infancy, held tremendous potential as a manufacturing technique. The first die casting machine designed and built by Adams required the aid of two operators. This was the first of three machines created and used in production. All of the parts of these machines were either fabricated internally or purchased to specification locally. The first machine, a vertical die-casting machine, is now on permanent display outside the entrance of the Minneapolis plant. Adams dedicated the remaining 52 years of his life to the development, practical application, and acceptance of die-casting. In 1929, he helped to form the North American Die Casting Institute (now referred to as NADCA). The objective of this institute was to promote and develop the free exchange of technical information within the industry for the enrichment of all involved. Adams took an active role in the management of Twin City Die Castings until his death in 1971 at the age of eighty-four. At that time, Jim Harmon was called to carry on the legacy that Adams had built. Harmon purchased the company and his three sons, Steve, Doug, and Mark, played active roles in the day to day operations of the company. The 1970’s and 80’s were spent solidifying the company’s position in the industry through equipment upgrades, facility expansions, and cultivation of the customer base. Because of the continued steady growth of the company, and with no space left of the original location, expansion was necessary. A new plant was opened in Watertown, South Dakota in August 1989, with the ribbon cutting ceremony being performed by the late Governor George Mickelson. This facility currently offers complete aluminum and machining operations. In 2000, a “state-of-the-art” magnesium plant opened in Monticello, Minnesota. This facility was built to capture a newer market for the company, focusing on a variety of industries including medical and defense. The market continues to grow for highly cosmetic magnesium castings, to which Twin City Die Castings Company responded by adding capabilities for sanding and finishing of magnesium parts. In 2010, Twin City Die Castings Company held the grand opening for its Joint Venture in India, named CRPTCDC India (CTI), located in Chennai, India. Since many of our customers run manufacturing operations worldwide, the Joint Venture allows Twin City Die Castings to be an integral part of their supply chain, serving a variety of locations in the US or abroad. As the company has continued to prosper and grow, the fundamental concept has never changed. Twin City Die Castings Company remains a family business rooted in loyal relationships. These relationships include employee, suppliers, industry, and of course its customers. This approach has served the company well and will remain its primary philosophy under the stewardship of its current owner.