Grede has been producing highly engineered iron-casting solutions for over a century. As one of the most prominent metal casters in the U.S., Grede knows a thing or two about the importance of making an impact across the community.
Established in Wauwatosa, WI, just after World War I ended, Grede was founded by William J. Grede in 1920 when he purchased what was then called the Liberty Foundry. Today, Grede leads the industry with ten facilities across America and over 3,000 team members.
The Foundation of Foundry
Grede specializes in producing premier ductile, gray, and specialty iron castings. The company proudly manufactures safety-critical cast components for its partners across three markets: automotive, commercial truck, and industrial equipment.
Its customers benefit from design assistance, machining, sub-assembly, and custom packaging beyond its standard service of manufacturing castings.
Grede partners with customers from concept to completion to provide highly engineered iron castings. These include chassis, suspension, and drivetrain components for auto applications, engine and chassis components for heavy-duty truck engines, and large axle housings and other drivetrain components for heavy equipment and agriculture markets.
Future-Forward
Over these 100 years, Grede’s customers have helped build their civilization. And they’ve been right there alongside them. As industries boomed and technologies advanced, Grede’s gray and ductile iron castings fortified the machines and vehicles that shaped the world.
The future and ways in which Grede can further enhance its brand offerings to customers, including introducing electric vehicles (EVs) in the marketplace, have created new growth opportunities for Grede. The popularity of EVs has allowed Grede to refine its processes to help support environmentally friendly transportation, which aligns more closely with its own environmental policy.
Talent + Camaraderie
Mary Knudsen, HR Manager, said, “One of the greatest things about being in Central Minnesota is the talented labor market. Central Minnesota employees are dedicated, hardworking, and loyal. We have a great group of team members at Grede. It makes coming to work more enjoyable every day. Another exciting aspect of this region is the education system. There are many amazing educational choices right here in our local community. Grede is proud to partner with local high schools and colleges to help prepare students for opportunities available with our organization.”
She continued, “Central Minnesota has endless growth opportunities which will attract new talent to the area. This can bring a new outlook to our business to help drive future change and improvement. Grede continuously strives to improve our processes to make things more efficient and technologically advanced.
Grow With Grede
For Knudsen, reflecting on Grede’s organizational culture means highlighting how important it is for employees to have a sense of belonging and responsibility. “Building camaraderie between employees helps us create a loyal workforce that takes pride in our products. Being a part of the St. Cloud community, it’s important to give back. Our employees are what makes Grede—Grede. Their hard work and dedication day in and day out has made us a successful organization in this community,” she said.
She continued, “It’s important to let people in our community and outside of the greater St. Cloud area know what St. Cloud has to offer. There are many opportunities, activities, events, and places people can be involved in and enjoy. St. Cloud Shines opens the doors and focuses on what the St. Cloud community offers to everyone from infants through seniors.”
Knudsen shared a personal anecdote that speaks to the culture within the walls of Grede. She said, “When I was interviewing for a position [at Grede], I asked our then-plant manager what he liked best about working at Grede. His response was the dedicated people he worked with. Initially, I thought that was a “canned” answer because everyone says that. However, when I started working here, I realized he was right. The people here are truly awesome to work with. There is something different about Grede team members—they are more open, more accepting of everyone, and have a sense of fun I haven’t seen at past employers. You look around, and someone will have a smile on their face. The work can be physically demanding and the environment hot, but the people are truly worth it."
Grede is making significant investments in technology and their workforce. Workforce development is critical to its success – it’s one of its five strategic imperatives. Grede is passionate about its people and finding the best talent in the industry. They’ve grown a lot over the years, and they’re still growing. Grow with Grede — check out their career opportunities at grede.com/careers
