HANNOVER, Germany--September 19, 2012: Alcoa Wheel and Transportation Products (AWTP), an Alcoa business unit, introduced four new forged aluminum wheels, two of which offer maximum loads per wheel currently unavailable in steel. The Alcoa wheels are up to 44% lighter than steel equivalents and support the move to higher-load-capacity tires. Alcoa introduced the new wheels at the 64th International Motor Show (IAA) Commercial Vehicles conference in Hannover, Germany.
“We are constantly driving ourselves to design aluminum wheels that offer our customers stronger and lighter options to steel that also increase cargo capacity, fuel economy and reduce carbon emissions”
"We are constantly driving ourselves to design aluminum wheels that offer our customers stronger and lighter options to steel that also increase cargo capacity, fuel economy and reduce carbon emissions," said Alcoa Wheel and Transportation Products President, Tim Myers. "There is a definite trend within the commercial vehicle industry to move to higher-load-capacity tires, and these new wheels address those needs."
The two new aluminum wheels available at high-load capacities not found in steel include an improved Alcoa global trailer wheel, and the first aluminum 45mm offset trailer wheel for inloaders, trailers designed to transport architectural glass plates and concrete parts. Both wheels support the move to higher-load-capacity tires.
The improved trailer wheel has a maximum load of 5,500kg per wheel, a near 6% increase to the previous Alcoa model, yet is 2.1kg lighter. It is 22.8kg lighter than a comparable steel wheel.
The aluminum 45mm offset trailer wheel is 37% lighter than the steel equivalent with a maximum load per wheel of 5,000kg.
New Alcoa forged aluminum wheels being introduced also include the:
- 135 FrontRunner, a 135mm offset truck wheel with maximum load per wheel of 5,000kg suitable for use on the front axles of Scania, DAF and Inveco trucks; the Alcoa wheel is 44% lighter than the steel equivalent and supports the move to higher-load-capacity tires;
- 80mm offset trailer wheel with a maximum load per wheel of 4,500kg for use with the new lightweight SAF 80 One axle by SAF Holland, a leading manufacturer and supplier of product systems and components primarily for trailers as well as trucks, buses and recreational vehicles.
The wheels are produced at the Alcoa Wheels plant in Hungary and are available in a number of finishes including Brushed, Mirror Polished and Dura-BrightŪ.
The lighter, yet stronger, aluminum wheels for weight and fuel savings and reduced carbon emissions exemplify Alcoa's dedication to greener transportation. Alcoa Wheel and Transportation Products affirmed its dedication to environmentally friendly transportation at the IAA conference by joining the Sustainable Development Charter of the International Association of Public Transport (UITP). The Charter is specifically dedicated to increasing awareness on the importance of sustainability within the transportation sector. The Charter's more than 150 global members commit to monitor, measure and to report on their own sustainability performance, while sharing best practices with fellow members.
