Steel vs. Aluminum: Battle Amplifies with New Tennessee Facilities
aadaasdark8072 > 06-28-2019, 08:28 AM
The battle lines have been drawn now that Ford’s ground-breaking F-150 – made with aluminum – is in full production. Speculation about the spread of aluminum into other steel-dominated platforms is rampant these days. The U.S. Department of Energy has added fuel to that debate, announcing a conditional commitment for a $259 million loan to Alcoa Inc.
If finalized, the loan would support the company’s Alcoa, Tennessee, manufacturing facility. Alcoa, the largest producer of aluminum in the United States, hopes to use the facility to produce high-strength aluminum for North American automakers looking to lightweight their vehicles.
“This is good news for Alcoa and Tennessee,” said Senator Lamar Alexander. “Today, more than one-third of Tennessee manufacturing jobs are auto related, and investment in advanced manufacturing is an important part of how our state will continue to attract good-paying jobs.”
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Alcoa estimates that its expanded production will create 200 permanent full-time jobs – in addition to 400 jobs at the peak of construction. The plant’s expansion will provide additional aluminum sheet manufacturing capacity intended for the U.S. automotive market.
The goal is to boost fuel economy by reducing vehicle weight, while still maintaining safety. High volume models such as the F-150, for example are using aluminum-intensive designs to do just that. Ford’s new model features weight savings of more than 700 pounds per vehicle.