Expect More Alcoa Forged Passenger Wheel OE Deals in 2009

Aluminium giant Alcoa has been producing premium forged commercial vehicle wheels for a decade now. And despite some new manufacturers recently joining the forged wheel scene in the Far East, the company remains an undisputed market leader in its field. Now, following the news that Alcoa is to close its last remaining cast aluminium wheel factory (in Beloit, Wisconsin, USA), it is not surprising to learn that this part of the business is now focusing on transferring its forged wheel technology to the passenger car OE market.

In an interview conducted at the tail end of 2008 David Yates (marketing manager, Europe, Alcoa Wheel Products – Forged Speciality Wheels) and Brian Thomas (marketing communications, Alcoa Wheel and Transportation Products) explained that after a 24-month long passenger car OE “testing cycle” the first production car to fit its forged wheels was a Shelby tuned version of the Ford Mustang model in the states.

Closer to home, the first European application to enter service (in winter 2008) was on the new Audi A6. Gaining a forged wheel contract with the respected marque was not only something of a coup for the wheelmaker, but also a sign of the volume and level of contract the Alcoa hopes to sign in the future. T&A understands that Alcoa is now in talks with similarly high profile car makers and that “a number” of contracts based upon this initial concept are likely to be announced in 2009. Still more OE wheels are in development.

Initially, the deals are being negotiated with a view to selling forged wheels as options on quality brands. Looking forward, a few more standard fitments on the more luxurious vehicles are also expected with higher volume being a key long term aim. The attractions from the OEMs’ point of view are clear: significant weight reduction, improve fuel efficiency, and lower carbon emissions. However, as technically superior as forged wheels undoubtedly are, they are also far more costly than the most expensive cast alloy wheels. And with financial pressures of the credit crunch bearing down on UK and European car buyers more than every before, isn’t selling forged wheels as an extra going to be an uphill struggle?

“I would be kidding if I said it [the credit crunch] wasn’t hurting us,” Brian Thomas commented, explaining that Alcoa’s forged wheels add value to quality car sales at a time when car sales pricing is under real pressure.

Solomon Alsberg selects Alcoa for Russian forged alloy wheels

There is also an emerging market edge to Alcoa’s increased focus on forged passenger care wheel products. Alcoa, is now supplying lightweight forgings for Solomon Alsberg’s range of exclusive quality alloy wheels. (Russia-based Solomon Alsberg specialises in the niche vehicle tuning and customisation markets.)

“We are delighted to be working with Solomon Alsberg, helping the company achieve significant growth and consumer satisfaction not only in Russia but also across Europe,” David Yates explained. “Solomon Alsberg requires large size, high quality forged blanks from which they can style a range of wheels offering manufacturing flexibility to respond quickly to a competitive market. Our blanks allow them to create many designs from a single pattern forging.”

“Solomon Alsberg discovered that Alcoa offers the ideal mix of lightweight product with pricing, quality and flexibility,” explains Razinkin Alexander, marketing director of Solomon Alsberg Ltd. “Alcoa is one of the only suppliers offering forged blanks up to a size of 19 inches. When machined to their final style, the lightweight wheels weigh just 8.2 kg.”

The premium niche vehicle market that Solomon Alsberg serves prefers forged alloy wheels as they reduce unsprung weight on a car, providing more responsive steering and suspension input, increased strength while reducing weight of a comparable cast aluminium wheel by over 20 per cent.