 In 1959, Howe acquired Michigan Steel Casting Co. (MISCO), which provided the monolithic shell process, which uses a ceramic shell with thin, strong walls to increase control of the solidification process to produce a sounder casting.Howe became Howmet in 1965, marking a transition from a mining company to a manufacturer of precision metal products.Howmet was purchased in 1975 by Pechiney, a multinational aluminum company.