Novelis commissioned its third state-of-the-art automotive aluminum sheet finishing line in Oswego, N.Y. Installed to support the production of stronger, lighter, and safer vehicles, the line represents Novelis’ latest investment of $120 million to expand high-strength aluminum alloy supply for Ford F-Series trucks, America’s best-selling truck for 39 years and best-selling vehicle for 34 years.
“As a result of our investments across the globe, Novelis is able to offer our automotive customers unique advantages and benefits through automotive lines such as this one in Oswego,” said Steve Fisher, president and CEO, Novelis. “Automakers are seeking alternative materials to cut vehicle weight while maintaining strength and safety requirements. With investments in Asia, Europe, and North America, Novelis has the global footprint, assets, and expertise to meet the needs of automakers in every major auto-producing region.”
The third and newest automotive finishing line in Oswego will produce aluminum sheet for the body and cargo box of the all-new 2017 F-Series Super Duty lineup, helping to reduce the overall vehicle weight by up to 350 pounds, so the all-new Super Duty can tow and haul more than ever. This weight reduction enables the use of tougher underbody components such as an all-new, fully boxed high-strength frame, stronger axles and springs, and larger brakes and driveline parts for superior performance. The truck series will represent the second-highest volume aluminum application in automotive to date, surpassed only by the F-150, which saved up to 700 pounds of weight for increased capability, performance, and efficiency.
“Novelis works closely alongside our automotive customers to meet their precise and exact demands,” said Marco Palmieri, SVP and president, Novelis North America. “The passion for excellence among our employees in Oswego and throughout North America has made possible this latest automotive expansion. It is a testament to our commitment to help our automotive customers bring to market the lightweight vehicles of the future.”
Novelis forecasts the global demand for aluminum automotive sheet will continue to grow and that automotive aluminum will represent approximately 25% of Novelis’ total shipments when all five of its new global automotive lines are fully utilized. During the past five years, Novelis has expanded its ability to serve the North American automotive market by installing and commissioning three automotive finishing lines in Oswego. This $400 million investment also includes the world’s largest closed-loop recycling program, which processes roughly 25 million pounds of automotive aluminum scrap per month.
Edited to Add: A feature article on the new Oswego line will appear in the August 2016 issue of Light Metal Age.