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| April 23, 2007
Alcoa's Aluminum Forging Contributes Significant Weight Savings to SAF-HOLLAND's Fifth Wheel
CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Alcoa’s (NYSE:AA) aluminum top plate forging
enabled SAF-HOLLAND to shed 100 pounds in weight and to integrate NoLube®
technology in the world’s lightest and first
commercially available aluminum fifth wheel for tractor-trailers.
“Our product development team applied our
rolling wheel technology and leading aluminum alloy expertise to
SAF-HOLLAND’s fifth wheel requirements in
providing the system’s most significant
weight-savings element, the aluminum top plate,”
said Larry Mueller, Director of Technology Alcoa Forged and Cast
Products. Alcoa Forged and Cast Products in Cleveland, Ohio,
manufactures the Holland and Alcoa branded fifth wheel.
Aluminum has been the lightweight, high-strength material of choice for
the trucking industry to realize significant operational savings and
safely increase cargo loads for many years. “With
our aluminum top-plate inside, SAF-HOLLAND can now offer truck component
distributors and truck builders the opportunity to incorporate a
weight-saving part as an ‘install and haul’
replacement or original-equipment option,”
Mueller said.
“The response from all segments of the
trucking industry—from manufacturers to
trucking companies and owner-operators—has
been very promising. They immediately recognized how Alcoa and
SAF-HOLLAND have responded to increasing truck weight and maintenance
with this new, forged-tough component,” said
SAF-HOLLAND’s Scott Fowler at March’s
Mid-America Truck Show in Louisville, Kentucky. “When
truckers swap out an old fifth wheel with our model, they immediately
generate more revenue per mile with the added capacity on their very
next load,” he said.
“Alcoa’s
innovative forging also allowed us to integrate our NoLube features on
this new fifth wheel to offer added value to our customers,”
said Fowler. The NoLube fifth wheel eliminates grease use on the top
plate, between the top plate and bracket, and in the lock mechanism;
reduces maintenance time; decreases grease in the maintenance shop for
enhanced environmental sensitivity; and saves on steer tire wear and
cost as a result of a more consistent turning effort.
In SAF-HOLLAND’s laboratory and track tests,
the aluminum fifth wheel passed all requirements to achieve a rating of
55,000-pound maximum vertical load and 150,000-pound maximum drawbar
pull. The field tests put the fifth wheel on tankers, bulk haulers, and
flatbeds hauling beverages, steel, cement, fuel, bulk foods, and waste.
About Alcoa Forged and Cast Products
Alcoa Forged and Cast Products, Cleveland, Ohio, is a division of Alcoa
Power and Propulsion. Alcoa Power and Propulsion is a global leader in
airfoil and structural investment castings, forged structural parts, and
forged aircraft wheels. Serving the aerospace, defense, energy and
industrial markets, its products are primarily used in jet engines and
industrial gas turbines. Additional value-added products and services
include hot isostatic pressing, specialty coatings, research and
development, supply chain management, specialty tools, molds, and
machinery. With 29 production facilities, Alcoa Power and Propulsion
employs more than 11,000 people worldwide. More information can be found
at www.alcoapowerandpropulsion.com.
About Alcoa
Alcoa is the world's leading producer and manager of primary aluminum,
fabricated aluminum and alumina facilities, and is active in all major
aspects of the industry. Alcoa serves the aerospace, automotive,
packaging, building and construction, commercial transportation and
industrial markets, bringing design, engineering, production and other
capabilities of Alcoa's businesses to customers. In addition to aluminum
products and components, Alcoa also markets consumer brands including
Reynolds Wrap® foils and plastic wraps, Alcoa®
wheels, and Baco® household wraps. Among its
other businesses are closures, fastening systems, precision castings,
and electrical distribution systems for cars and trucks. The company has
123,000 employees in 44 countries and has been named one of the top most
sustainable corporations in the world at the World Economic Forum in
Davos, Switzerland. More information can be found at www.alcoa.com.
About SAF-HOLLAND
SAF-HOLLAND is a global leader in the design, manufacture and
distribution of quality-engineered components, systems and services to
the heavy duty commercial vehicle industry. These products include fifth
wheels, landing gear, air and mechanical suspensions, axle and braking
systems, kingpins, pintle hooks, drawbars, couplers, lift gates and roll
formed components. SAF-HOLLAND products are sold and serviced under the
SAF and Holland brand names from over 4,600 distributor and OEM
locations around the world. Among its other businesses are modular home
setting systems, agricultural aeration equipment and customer roll
forming services. More information can be found at www.safholland.com.
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