ME Elecmetal Invests $15M in Duluth Furnaces
The heavy-duty liner maker is installing two induction furnaces at its Gary New Duluth foundry while existing furnaces keep running.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Manufacturing
ME Elecmetal is investing $15 million in two new induction furnaces at its Gary New Duluth foundry, with a $4.3 million grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency supporting the project. The equipment is being installed alongside the three electric arc furnaces that remain in operation.
Why it matters
The project is described as delivering significant environmental and competitive benefits for the foundry, which employs about 130 people in Duluth. Its state grant support signals that cleaner melting technology is being pursued at an established industrial site.
The $15 million investment and $4.3 million Minnesota Pollution Control Agency grant fund two induction furnaces, with the company projecting an 85% cut in particulate matter from the melt shop. The reported figures do not indicate the timeline for full operation of both furnaces.
The players
ME Elecmetal
ME Elecmetal is a manufacturer of heavy-duty liners for the mining industry, operating the Gary New Duluth foundry.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is the state agency responsible for environmental protection and pollution regulation, which provided the $4.3 million grant for the project.
The details
The induction furnaces are being installed while the foundry's three electric arc furnaces continue to operate, so production is not paused for the upgrade. The foundry, which has poured steel since 1978 and used arc furnaces since 1980, makes heavy-duty liners for the mining industry.
Timeline
1978: The Gary New Duluth foundry began operating.
1980: The foundry began pouring steel from three electric arc furnaces.
January 2027: One of the new induction furnaces is planned to be fired up.
Market Landscape
Converting from electric arc to induction melting is part of a broader shift among metal casters seeking lower particulate emissions while keeping production running. State pollution-control grants like the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's $4.3 million award are one way such transitions are being financed at existing plants.
For Duluth-area residents, the project means an established foundry with about 130 jobs is modernizing rather than scaling back. Air quality around the Gary New Duluth site is expected to improve if the projected 85% particulate reduction is achieved.
The takeaway
Upgrades like this show that existing industrial plants can cut emissions through equipment changes made while production continues. Readers tracking manufacturing costs and air quality in Duluth can watch for the January 2027 startup of the first induction furnace.
Further reading
For more on regional industrial operations, explore Manufacturing coverage for Duluth.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WDIO.
