Waupaca Foundry in Tell City Anchors Perry County Manufacturing Economy

Waupaca Foundry’s Tell City plant is a central employer and industrial anchor in Perry County, producing a range of cast-iron components for automotive, off-highway, agriculture, and industrial markets. The parent company is one of the largest independent iron foundry operations in North America, and the Tell City facility’s scale and product mix tie it closely to regional workforce demand and local supply chains.

Formerly part of the ThyssenKrupp family of companies and known as ThyssenKrupp Waupaca during that period, the operation now under the Waupaca Foundry name has, over the years, been the subject of reported investments and expansions. Those capital projects and workforce announcements have reinforced the plant’s role in Perry County’s manufacturing base and in local economic-development planning.

For local residents the plant’s importance goes beyond headline employment numbers. The foundry supports direct jobs on the production floor and in plant services, and it generates secondary economic activity through local contracting, materials suppliers, transportation services, and household spending by employees. Because its output serves vehicle and equipment manufacturers, demand at the Tell City site can shift with automotive and agricultural markets, linking Perry County’s economic fortunes to broader industry cycles.

Local policymakers and economic-development officials frequently reference the foundry in discussions of workforce training and industrial retention. Maintaining a skilled production workforce, ensuring reliable local supplier networks, and monitoring shifts in downstream markets are all practical priorities for the community given the plant’s presence. In addition, past investments at the site illustrate how targeted capital spending can support local employment and preserve manufacturing capacity in rural counties like Perry.

Longer-term trends in manufacturing—such as automation, supply-chain reshoring, and changing demand in vehicle markets—will influence how the Tell City facility and similar plants adapt. For Perry County, that means balancing support for an important existing employer with efforts to diversify the local economic base so the community is better insulated from sector-specific downturns.

As of January 7, 2026, Waupaca Foundry’s Tell City operation remains a defining element of the county’s industrial profile. Residents, local businesses, and officials will continue to watch the plant’s investment and workforce developments closely because of their ripple effects on employment, contracting opportunities, and the county’s long-term economic health.