On September 15, 2026, ArtiCast Jackson announced it will invest $10.3 million and create 100 jobs at the former Pace Industries die casting facility in Jackson, Madison County, Tennessee. The new operation, part of Michigan-based ArtiFlex Holdings, brings high-pressure die casting capacity back to a plant that sat idle after Pace Industries closed it earlier this year, with machines rated up to 1,800 tons aimed at aerospace, defense, drone, humanoid robotics, automotive, commercial truck, industrial, and agricultural programs. For buyers who sourced castings from Pace — or watched its collapse tighten North American capacity — a sizeable plant is coming back online under new ownership.
ArtiCast Jackson Puts $10.3 Million Into the Former Pace Plant
The announcement came from Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, TNECD Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter, and ArtiCast Jackson officials, and was carried by NADCA and industry media in the following days. ArtiFlex Holdings CEO Erin Hoffmann framed the choice as a workforce decision: "We can put capital investment anywhere. The talented workforce in Jackson makes this the ideal location."
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Investment | $10.3 million |
| Jobs | 100 new positions |
| Location | Jackson, Madison County, Tennessee — former Pace Industries facility |
| Equipment | High-pressure die casting machines up to 1,800 tons |
| Target industries | Aerospace, drones, defense, humanoid robotics, automotive, aftermarket, commercial truck, industrial, agricultural |
| Parent company | ArtiFlex Holdings / ArtiFlex Manufacturing, Michigan-based, over 1,000 employees globally |
The Restart Fills a Gap Left by Pace Industries' Collapse
Pace Industries was once among the largest independent die casters in North America, and its wind-down rippled through supply chains. In March 2026, NADCA reported Pace would shutter its Muskegon, Michigan plants, and the Jackson facility closed earlier this year. Each closure pushed buyers to requalify suppliers on short notice. ArtiFlex, meanwhile, has been building a casting platform: the company began in 2011 as a joint venture between Gerstenslager, a Worthington Industries subsidiary, and International Tooling Solutions, partnered with high-pressure die caster Falcon Lakeside Manufacturing in 2025, and reorganized its leadership under the ArtiFlex Holdings banner on September 9 — six days before the Jackson announcement.
What the Jackson Restart Means for Casting Buyers
Three takeaways for sourcing teams:
- Southeast capacity is returning, not just consolidating. A 1,800-ton-capable plant in Tennessee shortens freight lanes for buyers in the automotive corridor and adds a domestic option for programs that lost their Pace supply line.
- Demand is diversifying beyond automotive. The target list — humanoid robotics, drones, defense, aerospace — competes for the same large-tonnage machine time as truck and auto programs. Expect quote windows on big machines to tighten as these programs ramp.
- A restarted plant is not the old plant. New ownership means new process documentation, and even familiar machines need fresh validation. Budget for requalification — process audit, PPAP, and capability studies — rather than assuming continuity with the Pace era.
The evaluation criteria for a restarted domestic plant are the same ones worth applying to any supplier, anywhere: verified material, simulation-proven tooling, and machining and finishing under one roof. That is how we run our own aluminum die casting programs, with spectrometer verification on every melt and in-house tooling and CNC capacity. If you are weighing domestic restarts against offshore options for an upcoming program, send us the drawing and annual volume through our manufacturing capabilities page, and our engineers will return a process and cost assessment.
Sources
- Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, ArtiCast Jackson to Establish Tennessee Manufacturing Presence with Expansion to Madison County, September 15, 2026
- Area Development, ArtiCast Jackson Plans Madison County, Tennessee, Operations, September 19, 2026
- MarkLines, ArtiCast Jackson invests USD 10.3 million for die casting plant in Tennessee, September 23, 2026
- NADCA News & Announcements, ArtiCast Jackson launch and Pace Industries plant closures, September 23, 2026 / March 18, 2026
