Madison-Kipp Corp. (MKC), a supplier of lightweight, high-pressure die cast aluminum parts, said Tuesday that it experienced a “significant fire event” at one of its two plants in Madison, Wisconsin.
More than 75 firefighters responded to fight the blaze, and crews had to cut through the North plant’s roof to extinguish the fire. No injuries were reported, and all employees, contractors, customers and visitors on site at the time of the fire were accounted for safely.
Additional details about the fire, including a potential cause, were not immediately available.
The company said that the Madison Fire Department responded quickly, secured the scene, and released the facility back to MKC, which is cooperating with authorities and has initiated an internal recovery process. MKC said it is also working with insurance representatives and other partners to assess the facility and develop recovery plans.
“Our focus right now is on the well-being of our employees, first responders, neighbors, and the surrounding community,” said Brian Sampson, MKC’s CEO. “We are extremely grateful for the rapid and professional response from the Madison Fire Department and all emergency personnel involved.”
Sampson is new to the role; he was appointed CEO on April 8.
The company supplies parts to major Tier 1 suppliers and other OEMs, including Harley-Davidson, ZF Group, Dana Inc. and Dauch, which owns American Axle & Manufacturing and GKN Automotive. According to MKC's website, the company is "generally the sole-source provider of its products" to customers.
In a statement, Tony Sapienza, head of communications at ZF North America, said, “We’re working closely with the team at Madison-Kipp. There are no disruptions to our ability to supply our customers at this time.” ZF supplies advanced mobility products and systems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and industrial technology.
A representative from Dana Inc. also confirmed that the fire at the facility will not impact operations. Dana designs and manufactures propulsion solutions for the light- and commercial‑vehicle markets.
According to an IEN source, MKC also supplies a number of components to Harley-Davidson, including crank cases and transmission cases. Neither Harley nor MKC responded to an IEN request for comment.
The location that suffered the fire was opened in 1987. It is adjacent to the company's South plant that has been open since 1898, according to MKC's website. The North plant has seven fully automated high-pressure die cast machines ranging from 1,000 tons to 1,600 tons, and produces parts up to 21 pounds for engine and driveline applications.
According to local reports, the Madison Fire Department has responded to incidents at MKC’s North and South plants 76 times in the past 10 years. The company also operates plants in nearby Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, and in Richmond, Indiana.
