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Ford’s Louisville Plant On Track For 2027 Fathom Production With “Unicasting”
Ford confirmed that the $2 billion overhaul of its Louisville Assembly Plant is progressing as planned. The facility will begin mass production of the Fathom, a midsize pure-electric pickup priced under $30,000, in 2027. The Fathom is the first vehicle built on Ford’s new Universal EV platform and targets the affordable EV segment.
Prototype builds using production-qualified tooling are scheduled for the first quarter of 2027, with customer deliveries later the same year. Pre-production tooling validation is already underway.
At the heart of the transformation is Ford’s Universal EV Production System, an “assembly tree” that replaces the traditional linear assembly line. The vehicle is split into three parallel sub-assemblies:
- Front and rear sections built around large aluminum Unicastings (Ford’s term for large-scale Gigacasting). Each unicasting replaces dozens of stamped and welded parts and provides enough structural integrity for components to be installed before the sections are joined.
- A third line that assembles the structural battery pack together with seats, console and carpeting; the battery serves as the vehicle’s structural floor.
The three modules are joined only at the end of the process using bolts and adhesives. This architecture enables simultaneous work on multiple sections, improves ergonomics and delivers a net 15% reduction in assembly time compared with previous models at the plant (the raw process can run up to 40% faster, with some gains reinvested in quality and automation).
The Louisville retooling marks a decisive step in Ford’s push to close the cost and efficiency gap with leading EV producers through simplified Gigacasting-style structures and a parallel assembly process. The large Gigacasting machines are already being installed - full details; Size, quantity, supplier, etc. in The Gigacasting Database
Duoli’s Gigacasting Business Scales up. 10th Bühler Machine Delivered
Duoli Technology has reported strong first-half 2026 results, with its Gigacasting operations now “moving decisively”, as the company described, into large-scale mass production.
The company posted revenue of RMB 2.469 billion ($367 million), up 42.32% year-on-year, and net profit of RMB 169 million ($25.1 million), up 7.08%. Stamping and Gigacasting components together generated RMB 2.350 billion ($350 million) (+44.71%), accounting for 95.21% of total revenue and underscoring the shift toward higher-value structural parts.
The Gigacasting segment has transitioned from ramp-up to sustained volume. Multiple project designations from major OEMs are already secured, and order growth is expected to remain solid as new customer models enter production and launch. Capacity continues to expand in step with demand.
Duoli has built its Gigacasting network around customer production hubs. Large integrated die-casting lines are now operating in Changzhou (Jiangsu), Yancheng (Jiangsu), Jinhua (Zhejiang), Lu’an (Anhui) and additional sites, giving the company five active production bases.
The layout prioritizes proximity to OEM plants to enable tight synchronization with vehicle programs. Core Gigacasting customers include NIO, Leapmotor, Li Auto and SAIC Group.
A recent development is the delivery of Duoli’s 10th Bühler Megacasting machine. The company has simultaneously signed for two additional units. Equipment is running across the five bases, with some islands consistently producing more than 12,000 (and in some reports over 15,000) qualified castings per month—performance that sits well above typical industry averages for Chinese Gigacasters.
Duoli’s 9,381 ton die casting island for Leapmotor
Dongfeng & Stellantis Launch New Joint Venture
Dongfeng Stellantis Automotive Technology was officially inaugurated on August 20 in the Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone. The joint venture is backed by six investors; Dongfeng Motor, Stellantis, Changjiang Industry Group, Wuhan Financial Holdings, Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone Industrial Investment Group, and Dongfeng Peugeot Citroën Automobile, with registered capital of approximately RMB 8.2 billion ($1.22 billion).
The company will focus on vehicle R&D, industrial investment and new-energy vehicle sales. Its initial product plan includes four models with pure-electric and plug-in hybrid powertrains with production set to begin in 2027.
The new structure marks a departure from traditional joint-venture models, combining a central state-owned enterprise, a global automotive group and local industrial capital.
Dongfeng will lead core new-energy and intelligent-connectivity technologies, Stellantis will contribute brand strength and its global distribution network, while regional partners support the supply chain. The stated strategy is “R&D in Wuhan, manufacturing in Hubei, sales worldwide.”
Source: Gasgoo China Automotive News
China July Magnesium Production Update
From January to July 2026, China’s primary magnesium production reached 692,400 tons, up 24.40% year-on-year.
In July alone, output stood at 89,300 tons, down 12.19% month-on-month but up 11.90% year-on-year, according to statistics from the Magnesium Branch of the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association.
Regional breakdown of cumulative production from January to July:
- Shaanxi: 485,100 tons (+41.22% YoY)
- Shanxi: 95,900 tons (-16.24% YoY)
- Xinjiang: 33,400 tons (+18.02% YoY)
- Inner Mongolia: 21,000 tons (-8.70% YoY)
- Other regions: 57,000 tons
Source: Die Casting Weekly
Interview with Euroguss
“📩 A newsletter paved the way for him to enter the die-casting industry.
Luca Greco did not make a name for himself as an industry insider, but rather as a curious observer of a technology that is transforming the automotive industry. Today, readers around the world follow developments in gigacasting, magnesium and thixomoulding via The Gigacasting Newsletter.
💡 In this interview, Luca Greco – project manager at an Italian die-casting foundry and founder and editor-in-chief of The Gigacasting Newsletter – discusses current market developments, China’s role and the future of gigacasting, magnesium and thixomoulding.
His key message: European foundries should not only monitor changes in the automotive sector, but also capitalise on new opportunities in future-oriented markets such as robotics, drones, light mobility and defence.”
Read the full article:
