The United States is one of the world’s top copper producers, mining more than 1.2 million metric tons per year. Yet despite this abundance, the U.S. faces a critical problem: we export too much raw copper and import too many finished copper products. This imbalance weakens national resilience across industries that depend on copper—from defense to energy and infrastructure.

At Meloon Foundries, we’re helping reverse that trend by offering full in-house copper alloy casting. We transform raw and recycled copper into finished components entirely within the U.S., building a stronger, circular supply chain for American industry.

 

The U.S. Copper Supply Chain Imbalance

While the U.S. has significant copper reserves and robust mining activity—especially in Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico—much of the ore and scrap material is shipped overseas for refining and casting. Meanwhile, manufacturers buy back parts, fittings, and subassemblies that were made abroad, adding cost, risk, and complexity.

This “raw-out/finished-in” model creates several key vulnerabilities:

• Exposure to geopolitical disruptions
• Limited control over material standards and specifications
• Long lead times and logistical uncertainty
• Weak domestic capability for critical manufacturing

In short, we’re exporting strength and importing dependency—especially dangerous for high-priority sectors like military manufacturing and energy systems.

 

Why Importing Finished Parts Is a Strategic Risk

Critical industries such as:

• Defense (weapons systems, naval equipment, radar housings)
• Clean energy (wind turbines, EVs, solar infrastructure)
• Transit and water systems (pumps, valves, conduits)

—require cast copper components that meet exacting specifications. Relying on overseas partners for these essential parts:

• Increases risk of supply interruption in times of crisis
• Reduces visibility and traceability of metallurgy
• Makes compliance with federal “Buy American” rules difficult
• Delays innovation due to communication and feedback lags

 

Meloon’s In-House Copper Alloy Casting Capabilities

Meloon is helping close the domestic casting gap. We offer end-to-end copper alloy casting services at our facility in Syracuse, NY—including:

• No-bake and green sand casting for parts up to 2,000 lbs
• A wide selection of copper alloys including brass, bronze, and custom blends
• Pattern design, prototyping, and rapid tooling
• In-house metallurgy, heat treating, and machining

By consolidating all these services under one U.S. roof, we provide our customers with faster turnarounds, tighter quality control, and true supply chain security.

 

Why This Matters for America’s Future

Copper is a foundational material for many of the country’s most urgent infrastructure and national security goals. It powers:

• Electric grids and EV charging systems
• High-efficiency motors and wind turbines
• Water treatment systems and energy storage
• Ships, aircraft, and armored vehicles

These sectors don’t just need copper—they need cast, finished copper parts that meet demanding tolerances and performance standards.

By keeping copper castings onshore, we:

• Reduce risk of foreign supply chain manipulation
• Accelerate deployment of clean energy infrastructure
• Ensure defense-readiness for critical systems
• Strengthen compliance with government sourcing policies

 

Building a Circular U.S. Copper Supply Loop

Meloon is helping customers close the loop on their copper needs by creating a streamlined, domestic cycle:

Mine or Recycle → Melt & Cast → Finish → Deploy

All within the U.S. borders. That’s what resilience looks like—and that’s what we do every day at Meloon.

 

Final Thought

As global competition and instability continue to rise, rebuilding America’s copper casting capacity is no longer optional—it’s essential. Meloon is proud to be part of the solution, delivering precision copper castings that are 100% U.S. sourced, produced, and finished.

Made in Syracuse, NY. Serving critical industries nationwide.