Ford F-Series Truck Gets High-Strength Novelis Aluminum

Ford’s upcoming F-Series Super Duty truck lineup is touted as the toughest, smartest and most capable Super Duty ever, thanks to the high-strength, military-grade aluminum that will be supplied by Novelis, the world-leader in aluminum rolling and recycling.

After the successful launch of the ever-popular 2015 Ford F-150, the aluminum-intensive F-Series Super Duty trucks have also been built with high-strength, military-grade Novelis aluminum alloys in the body and bed, thereby reducing overall body weight by up to 350 pound. Through this weight reduction, Ford is able to use tougher underbody components such as larger brakes and driveline parts, more durable axles and springs, and a new fully boxed high-strength frame for outstanding performance.

The F-Series will reportedly represent the second-highest volume aluminum application in automotive to date, outdone only by the F-150, which notably saved up to 700 pounds of weight for improved performance, efficiency and capability.

Marco Palmieri, Senior Vice President, and President for Novelis North America, said in a statement that Novelis is proud to be a supplier of aluminum sheet for the Super Duty, enabling Ford to reduce weight, enhance towing and add payload capability to its best-selling work truck. He added that leveraging what they have learned from the huge success of the game-changing 2015 Ford F-150, they are thrilled to collaborate with Ford as they build the next generation of lightweight trucks.

Novelis will manufacture the aluminum sheet for the F-Series Super Duty truck at its facility in Oswego, New York. The factory is in the process of commissioning its third automotive sheet finishing line, which has been contracted in order to support the Super Duty’s production and will kick off shipping product in the spring of next year.

Novelis projects that the global demand for aluminum automotive sheet is poised for continued growth and that automotive aluminum will represent around 25 percent of the company’s total shipments when all five of its new global automotive lines are completely used. Since 2011, the company has invested over $550 million worldwide to triple its automotive sheet capacity. As carmakers endeavor to design a new generation of lighter, high-performing vehicles with enhanced fuel economy and reduced lifecycle emissions, the demand for aluminum is rapidly escalating.