About the Hildebrans

John D. Hildebran, President/Metallurgical Engineer

John Hildebran, a graduate metallurgist from Virginia Tech in 1969, has been involved with investment castings and the foundry business for over 40 years. After working in a diversity of casting fields, including vacuum cast aircraft engine components at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, thin walled aluminum avionic packaging at Uni-Cast Inc.and multi alloy commercial/industrial castings at Hitchiner Mfg.Inc. to name a few, John set out to form his own investment company in 1984.

His new company, New England Castings, Inc., grew consistently until 1998 when a Maine base firm found it to be an attractive acquisition. For the next three years John served as President and Metallurgist until setting off to pursue his last dream of creating a state of the art, solid mold foundry, specializing in Bronze and Brass castings. After a period of several years of new building construction and the design and construction of specialized foundry equipment Hildebran Designs Inc. was open for business in 2006.

Janice V. Hildebran, Office Manager & CFO

Janice Hildebran, after sixteen years of office and customer service management in commercial retailing joined New England Castings Inc as office and Customer Service Manager. Janice’s role in Hildebran Designs, Inc. has expanded to “hands on” production responsibilities as well as Office Manager and CFO.


As husband and wife, Janice and John have found that their creative energy has been greatly enhanced by their close working relationship and their love for the foundry business.