According to Clarence Burton's History of Wayne County, Vol. V, the Detroit Gray Iron Foundry Co. was founded here in 1916, and grew to employ 300 men by 1930 in the manufacture of jigs, fixtures, dies, and castings up to 40 tons--"the largest produced in this part of the country." During World War I the plant's production was wholly given over to production of U.S. military aircraft work. The founder and president of the company was Hugh Martin, and he employed a staff of trained metallurgists in order to ensure the precision of the finished product.
This place was one of the best industrial sites I saw during my time in Detroit. it was very complete even by our standards. The first story pattern stores had completely rotted through, pouring it's contents into the pattern shop below. It was a nice mix of scattered epic with hanging death above.
The casting sheds were very large and looked as though they had changed little for a very long time. I think there would have been more to see here if only the floors were not so rotten! There were tantalising rooms along the whole first floor, unreachable due to missing floors!