Charlotte Pipe brings Neenah Foundry under Infrastructure Division

Matthew Day

Staff

April 6, 2026

NEENAH – More than three years after its acquisition by Charlotte Pipe and Foundry, Neenah Foundry continues to forge ahead as it becomes more fully integrated into its parent company’s structure.

Transitioning “from a wholly owned subsidiary to a featured product-line brand within the organization,” Charlotte Pipe is realigning Neenah Foundry into its Infrastructure Division.

From a practical standpoint, Neenah Foundry CEO Vik Bhatia said the transition will bring about “no immediate changes to our facilities, workforce or day-to-day operations.” 

“Our plants will continue to operate as they do today, and there are no consolidation announcements associated with this realignment,” he said. “Our products, technical specifications, warranties and customer relationships also remain unchanged.” 

From a symbolic standpoint, however, Bhatia said the change is about “being stronger together.” 

“By bringing Neenah Foundry more closely into Charlotte Pipe’s Infrastructure Division, we are linking our expertise, resources and people in a way that positions us for the future,” he said. “As we’ve said internally, ‘United, we are building what’s next.’” 

A bit of background 

Founded more than 150 years ago, Bhatia said Neenah Foundry has long been part of the local manufacturing landscape – “and that legacy is central to who we are.” 

“Our culture is built on quality, reliability and serving communities through the products we make,” he said. 

Those products, Bhatia said, include municipal castings such as manhole covers, inlet grates, trench drains and airport drainage systems.  

“We also produce highly engineered castings for unique and complex situations,” he said.

Bhatia said the company’s Northeast Wisconsin presence remains important to its role as “part of the backbone of America.” 

That importance, he said, was underscored when Charlotte Pipe acquired Neenah Foundry in 2022 and invested in the foundry and its associates to an unprecedented degree. 

“Charlotte Pipe has helped modernize many processes and create improved working conditions with investments that can take a long time to pay back, but are the right things to do,” he said. 

A new structure 

Bhatia said the latest change brings Neenah Foundry more directly into Charlotte Pipe’s broader operating framework – building on the “strong foundations” both organizations have laid for more than a century and helping set the stage for the new commercial structure. 

“The conditions are now right to link our expertise, resources and people to build a more resilient company and increase our ability to serve customers,” he said. 

Bhatia said the transition will take place over the next several months, with some internal functions already beginning to operate in “a more coordinated, cohesive way.”

“Over the next year, alignment will take place across HR, IT and finance operations to better support the updated commercial structure,” Charlotte Pipe and Foundry CEO Hooper Hardison said.

Under the updated structure, Hardison said Charlotte Pipe and Foundry will serve as the primary enterprise over three commercial divisions: Plumbing, Irrigation and Infrastructure.

In addition to Neenah Foundry, he said the newly established Infrastructure Division includes branded products from U.S. Foundry and Bingham & Taylor.

“The new Infrastructure Division will bring together products and capabilities across waterworks, utilities, transportation and engineered systems, creating additional pathways for growth, innovation and coordination,” Bhatia said. 

Further alignment across other shared services, he said, will evolve over time, “as we focus on making thoughtful decisions.”

Bhatia said the change positions Neenah Foundry for growth within a broader Infrastructure Division that reflects the full scope of the markets it serves, while maintaining its brand, operations and legacy.

“There are several opportunities to leverage the full scope of Charlotte Pipe’s and Neenah’s operational capabilities to service our markets better,” he said.

What will change, what won’t 

Bhatia said Neenah Foundry customers are unlikely to notice a difference, as the changes are largely internal and “will not impact business relationships.”

Furthermore, he said there will be no changes to what the foundry produces. 

“Our products, specifications and manufacturing processes will continue as they do today,” he said.  

If anything, Bhatia said the new structure allows Neenah Foundry to produce more and be more relevant in serving customers. 

He said the structure also supports closer collaboration with Charlotte Pipe, allowing the two entities to more ably share best practices and “better serve customers who interface with multiple divisions.”

“I also want to emphasize that there are no changes to our facilities, workforce or operations, and the Neenah Foundry name, branding and community presence will remain,” he said. “This is about building what’s next.” 

Enthusiastic expectations 

Bhatia said he expects the new alignment with Charlotte Pipe to position Neenah Foundry for continued growth. 

“By bringing our teams and capabilities together, we are strengthening our ability to serve customers and communities and positioning the company for continued long-term growth and success,” he said. 

Bhatia said the response to the announcement has been positive so far, both internally and among customers and partners.

“Internally, there is a shared understanding that this alignment builds on the strong foundations of both organizations,” he said. “Externally, customers and partners have responded well to the clarity around what is changing – and what is not.” 

Much of that enthusiasm, Bhatia said, stems from the continuity in operations and the clarity that there will be no changes to the foundry’s operations, products or relationships.

“Overall, the response reflects confidence in the direction we are taking and the strength of the combined organization,” he said. 

At the same time, Bhatia said there is a sense of optimism and momentum within Neenah Foundry.

“We are excited about this next chapter,” he said. “Officially bringing Neenah Foundry under Charlotte Pipe’s Infrastructure Division is about strengthening our foundation and accelerating our momentum.” 

Visit neenahfoundry.com for more information.