AB&I Foundry Hosts Gun Melt of Confiscated Weapons
September 9, 2019
OAKLAND, CA September 6, 2019: AB&I Foundry teamed up with local California authorities and melted down hundreds of confiscated firearms and weapons. The foundry has been in partnership with local law enforcement for more than 30 years. The gun melt program is designed to permanently remove guns and weapons from the streets of California to reduce violence in our communities.
At AB&I’s Open House event in August, residents were invited in to take foundry tours, and were able to witness law enforcement melting down these weapons. During the event, guns and weapons – including rifles, handguns, shotguns, knives and automatic rifles that have been confiscated by law enforcement -- are melted down and recycled into new products such as cast iron soil pipe and fittings. Mayor Libby Schaaf participated with the destruction of a handgun helping to make the streets of Oakland safer.
“We receive calls from agencies as far north as Redding, California, south into the Central Valley and east all the way to the Nevada border,” said Michael Lowe, general manager of AB&I Foundry.
Local law enforcement, like the Oakland Police Department, have referred other agencies including the Department of Justice out of Sacramento and the Sacramento Sherriff’s Department to AB&I to dispose of their seized or confiscated weapons. Multiple law enforcement agencies contributed confiscated weapons to the gun melt operation that could not be returned to their owners or sold.
“At AB&I Foundry we do our part by working with law enforcement agencies to help them dispose of confiscated weapons, which ultimately makea our cities safer,” said Lowe. “We invite other law enforcement agencies interested in participating in the operation to contact us.”
Media Contact: Francesca Dunbar
Director of Group Marketing, McWane Plumbing Group
(925) 216-1828
Francesca.dunbar@mcwaneplbgrp.com
About AB&I Foundry
AB&I Foundry, based in Oakland, CA, is a division of McWane, Inc. Born in the shadows of the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, AB&I Foundry has been producing quality cast iron products for over a hundred years. Acquired by McWane in 2006, AB&I manufactures a full-line of cast iron soil pipe and fittings for DWV systems. In addition, AB&I has become a modern, highly-technological full- service provider of custom OEM gray iron castings for companies nationwide. Through a comprehensive program of water treatment, air pollution reduction, recycling, and solid-waste management, AB&I has set the standard for responsible foundry practices and policies.
About McWane Inc.
McWane, Inc. is a family-owned business based in Birmingham, Ala., with companies across the U.S. and around the world. The McWane Family of Companies casts ductile iron products, including pipe, valves, hydrants, fittings and plumbing products; manufactures fire extinguishers, fire suppression systems and steel pressure vessels; and builds network switches and monitoring equipment. McWane is a leader in delivering clean, safe drinking water around the world while focusing on safe, environmentally friendly manufacturing processes. With more than 6,500 team members, McWane has a longstanding commitment of supporting the communities where its team members live and work. For more information, visit mcwane.com.
