Arconic today broke ground on a new wheel manufacturing plant at its Arconic-Köfém Kft., Hungary, site. The new facility will significantly expand Arconic’s capacity to produce forged aluminum Alcoa Wheels, the world’s lightest heavy-duty truck and bus wheels. The $130 USD million investment will enable Arconic to double its European made wheels capacity over time, capturing growth in key markets in Europe, Latin America, Australia and Asia.
“Our truck wheels help customers increase payload while saving fuel and reducing maintenance,” said Tim Myers, President of Arconic’s Transportation and Construction Solutions and Global Rolled Products businesses. “Fleets are increasingly turning to our lightweight, durable wheels and this expansion will help us capture that ongoing growing demand.”
This greenfield expansion increases Arconic’s footprint in Székesfehérvár with production expected to begin at the end of 2019. Arconic’s Wheels business entered the commercial transportation market in Europe 22 years ago with just 32 employees, and has grown to more than 500 today in Hungary. The new facility is expected to bring approximately 200 new jobs to the region.
Alcoa Wheels are made from one piece of fully forged aluminum, making them 47% lighter and five times stronger than steel wheels of the same size, increasing payload and fuel efficiency. By converting from steel to Alcoa Wheels, a regular truck and trailer combination can shed up to 250 kilograms and cut 13.3 metric tons of CO2 emissions over the life of the wheels. For city buses, weight savings delivered by Arconic’s wheel solutions improve fuel efficiency, and help extend the driving range of electric buses. The wheels are available in a variety of surface options, including the easy-care, corrosion-resistant Dura-Bright® EVO.
About Arconic Wheel and Transportation Products Arconic Wheel and Transportation Products serves the commercial transportation and city bus market with a range of available products, including forged aluminum Alcoa Wheels such as Ultra ONE® with MagnaForce® alloy, Dura-Bright®, Dura-Flange®, LvL ONE® and M-Series® medium duty truck wheels. Arconic Wheel and Transportation Products is part of the Arconic Transportation and Construction Solutions business segment. The “Alcoa” trademark is owned by Alcoa USA Corp. and used by Arconic Inc. under license from Alcoa USA Corp. For more information, visit www.alcoawheels.com, @AlcoaWheels on Twitter or AlcoaWheels on Facebook.
About Arconic in Hungary Arconic has been present in Hungary since 1993 when the company acquired majority shares in Székesfehérvári Könnyűfémmű (Köfém). In Hungary, Arconic manufactures semi-finished rolled products, forged aluminum wheels, super alloyed investment castings finishing, fasteners for the aerospace industry and a wide range of carbon-, alloyed- and stainless-steel product mix for the automotive industry. As the third largest US investor in Hungary, Arconic employs around 2.300 people at its three sites, Székesfehérvár, Nemesvámos and Eger. In 1996 it opened its global shared service center in Székesfehérvár which now provides financial and administrative support for Arconic locations mainly in Europe and North America. The company has invested 10.7 million USD in community initiatives since 1993.
