Fleetowner 3147 Alcoadurabrightwheel

Alcoa opens aluminum wheel facility in China

Dec. 17, 2012

Alcoa Wheel and Transportation has opened a new state-of-the-art aluminum wheel facility in Suzhou, China. The new facility is part of a full wheel manufacturing, distribution, sales and service network in China, the company said.

This is the first wheel manufacturing facility Alcoa has opened in China, adding to the list of existing wheel facilities in North America, Europe and Japan.

“With the growth of China’s infrastructure and the success Alcoa’s wheel products have seen in the Chinese market over the past several years, it was a natural choice to further expand our global manufacturing footprint by building a facility that could manufacture our products locally,” said Tim Myers, president, Alcoa Wheel and Transportation Products.

The plant, which is currently up and running, machines and finishes forged aluminum wheels for commercial vehicles.  According to Alcoa, forged wheels are made from solid metal providing an aligned grain structure with four times the strength of cast wheels. 

Alcoa has been selling wheels out of Shanghai since 2004.

“We are thrilled that our new facility is located in Wuzhong, part of the Suzhou municipal district, a city currently seeing enormous growth,” Myers said.  “We have received tremendous support from the Suzhou Wuzhong Economic Development Zone and local governments.  Their professionalism and guidance greatly facilitated the establishment of the business and allowed Alcoa to commence operations ahead of schedule.”

Sponsored Recommendations

Way Beyond Weight: 5 Ways Truck Weights Affect Fleet Operations

Truck weights affect everything from highway safety and operational costs to back-office efficiency. Here’s how.

Heavy-Duty Maintenance Checklist

A maintenance checklist can help ensure you hit everything necessary during an inspection. Check out our free downloadable checklist to help streamline your repairs.

Five Ways a Little Data Can Save Your Company Millions

While most trucking and logistics companies rely on cellular to keep their work fleet connected, satellite has the ability to connect anywhere and through small data transmission...

Fleet Case Study: 15% YOY Growth for ITDS

Learn how this small trucking company scaled significantly and maintained outstanding customer service without adding additional people. Sylectus TMS can automate operations and...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of FleetOwner, create an account today!